The Merry Band of Cupids
by Panja Mysy
Summary: The gang gets tired of watching Kuwabara's efforts with Yukina fail and decide that maybe all the ice maiden needs is a helpful push in the right direction...and maybe some classes on love. This will be multi chapter, input is welcome and desired! Rating is increased due to upcoming chapter.
1. The Cupids Hatch a Plan

**This little ditty came to mind as I was doing a LOOOOOOONG patient transfer on my ambulance all the way to Columbia (three hours to kill since I can't have music blaring with a patient in the back so I let my mind wander to story writing).**

 **Very glad to have found a new fandom that actually inspires me to write and has wonderful characters to play with.**

 **This is a KuwabaraxYukina fic, but it prominently features a majority of the characters as well since they play an important and mischievous part in it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, unfortunately. If I did, it would still be on the air ;)**

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"This is painful to watch," Shizuru muttered, blowing a puff of smoke from between her lips. She was sitting on the porch of Genkai's temple with Botan and Keiko, watching her overgrown little brother following Yukina around the garden like a faithful puppy, desperate for his affections to be returned. Yukina was pointing out various flowers and plants, sharing interesting albeit unromantic tidbits about them she had learned from Kurama.

Speaking of Kurama, he was kneeling in the dirt digging holes for a new flower garden that Genkai had said she wanted. Being the plant genius he was, he had taken the job on happily and looked very peaceful among the leaves of the potted plants around him that were waiting to be placed in the soil.

"You have to hand it to him," he commented aloud, "He is very determined."

"Something has got to give soon," Botan stated cheerfully, "Not even Yukina can be that blind. It's so obvious."

"I don't think she's oblivious," Kurama said calmly, "I believe she is confused."

"Confused?" Keiko asked, petting Puu's large, maned head softly from her spot on the edge of the porch. The massive bird let out a contented sigh. "How can she be confused? He flat out tells her every time he sees her how he feels about her."

"And Keiko is the authority on confusing boyfriends," Botan added, not even noticing the glare Keiko shot her.

They all looked over at the pair across the garden again. Kuwabara was tucking a cherry blossom behind Yukina's ear, a wide smile plastered on his face...a smile that STAYED that way anytime he was even in close proximity to the aqua haired ice maiden.

"They are so cute," Keiko commented as Yukina giggled and tilted her head back to look up at the tall red head. "The height difference is a bit much though."

"She could give him a blow job standing up," the familiar voice of Yusuke shattered the romance of the moment and the brash comment caused the other five people to look back at him in shock, Shizuru made a gagging sound.

"Thanks so much for that visual, you little worm," she grumbled, rubbing her eyes as if trying to erase said image from her brain.

Yusuke shrugged off the look of horror from the girls and ignored Kurama's light chuckles as he sat on the porch next to Botan.

"You know they just need a little bit of intervention, right?" he said as he kicked his legs out and crossed his ankles, casually leaning back on his elbows.

"Intervention?" Botan seemed very interested now, all horror at the previous statement seemingly forgotten.

"Yeah," Yusuke said calmly, very punk-like, "Someone to play cupid."

Kurama looked up from his plants with an interested expression on his face.

"You know, I hate to say it, but Yusuke may have a point," he stated, brushing some dirt off his wrist, "Kuwabara knows exactly what he wants but Yukina doesn't seem to have a clue what he's trying to tell her. Maybe she just needs a push in the right direction."

"And a long talk about the birds and the bees, human-style," Yusuke added.

Kurama looked over at the potential pair and smiled.

"Let's save that for another day, perhaps."

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 **So here is the start, just setting up for lots of humor potential!**

 **I have a few scenarios in mind, but I welcome any prompts or suggestions on ways the gang can play cupid with these two because, well, I'm sure you all have your own ideas how you would want to do it and I would love to hear them :)**

 **Message me or leave a review if you have a particular scene you want played out!**

 ***Waves Kuwabara flag and grins***


	2. Launching Cupid's First Arrow

**Howdy folks! Panja here with chappie number two of my newest fic endeavour!**

 **Apologies for the name change but Narnia fics aren't my main thing anymore like when I started, Panja MySy is a name a friend gave me in college and it stuck fast ever since so I figured it was time for a change :)**

 **Anyway that's not why you're here, is it? Let's get this started!**

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"Hey, Kuwabara," Keiko approached her friend a while later after a meeting between the others and Genkai. Their gathering had produced a large amount of ideas on how to get the two love birds together and Keiko was the first to volunteer her idea so here she was, getting the ball rolling.

"Oh, hey, Keiko," Kuwabara returned her greeting with a smile and stopped walking beside Yukina to pay attention, "What's going on?"

"Genkai wants to see you and the other guys in the training area," Keiko reported, trying to sound inconspicuous.

"What for?" Kuwabara pouted, "Yukina is teaching me about flowers."

"It's ok, Kazuma," Yukina said with her soft and always cheery voice, "If Genkai wants you then she must have an important reason."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kuwabara agreed with a huff, "Alright, I'm coming."

Keiko turned on her heel and led the way back to the temple, a pleased and wicked grin spread across her face.

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"Practice?!" Kuwabara practically whined the word, "But I don't feel like practicing, Genkai!"

"Well that's too damn bad," Genkai growled, glaring up at the red head with eyes that clearly said he had no choice in the matter, "It's been far too easy for you boys lately, especially you! I want to evaluate you all and make sure you won't utterly fail if we happened to be attacked at some point."

"Psh, that idiot couldn't even touch a low class piece of trash in his current state," the familiar snarky voice of Hiei reached everyone's ears a moment before the demon dropped out of the trees on the edge of the training area, looking very unhappy.

"Grr, you don't know nothin' about nothin', short stack!" Kuwabara growled, clenching his fist as he got down to Hiei's level to glare into his eyes, Hiei calmly glared back. "I happen to be an S Class level human, in case you forgot!"

"S Class human means little more to me than D Class demon," Hiei chuckled darkly, "You simply can't compare the two."

Kuwabara's fist was about to make contact with Hiei's face when Genkai cleared her throat loudly, causing them both to look over at her in interest.

"Just shut up, both of you!" the tiny woman ordered, "Hiei, you can go first."

"Excuse me?" Hiei growled, his voice laced with annoyance. "I train daily in the Makai, old lady. I have not lost a single ounce of my ability. Using my powers here would very likely result in your temple being reduced to a cinder."

Keiko stood off to the side watching, she nudged Botan in the side.

"This isn't going as planned," she whispered.

"Don't worry," Botan replied with a smile, "Genkai knows the plan, she'll make it happen!"

After several minutes of arguing and insulting and Yusuke making snarky comments, the four boys stood back to back in the clearing, ready to take on whatever Genkai sent their way.

Keiko and Botan took up their places on either side of Yukina, Shizuru lounged on the grass, leaning against the trunk of a tree beside Botan and lit up a cigarette. Genkai began releasing energy balls towards the boys, yelling about how defense is just as important as offense. The boys jumped and twisted and flipped and dodged the small energy blasts, but Yusuke got nicked by one on his hip and dropped down to the grass with a moan.

"I know, grandma, I know," he said grimly as he stood back up and examined his hip, "My defense sucks and I need to work on it. I get the point."

"Defense never was your strong point," Kurama agreed, "Maybe Genkai is right about us all needing more training."

The training went on like this for a while until all four of them were panting from the effort of constantly avoiding the energy balls.

"Sure is hot today," Yusuke announced, giving Keiko a wink as he removed his shirt. Keiko gave him a smile and a nod, the plan was in motion.

"It sure is," Kurama agreed, slowly peeling his shirt off and tossing it aside. Shizuru finally took an interest in the training.

"Feels like a sauna out here," Kuwabara agreed, following the lead of the other two and tossing his shirt aside.

Hiei joined in the shirtlessness without a word and Genkai announced it was time to practice individual techniques starting with Yusuke. Keiko was ready.

"Oh my goodness," she sighed dramatically, fanning herself with her hand, "Yusuke looks so good like this. I love watching him fight without his shirt."

Yukina looked at Keiko with interest and then her gaze went to Yusuke. She was looking very pensive.

"I mean, come on," Keiko continued, "Look at those muscles! He is so strong and brave and...well he's sexy!"

Botan and Shizuru stated their agreements to Keiko's statements and they all continued to make comments throughout Yusuke's hand to hand combat with Kurama whom they also admired out loud.

"That boy sure has a beautiful shape," Botan stated about the red haired demon, "His torso is so long and smooth."

"He's a pretty damn good thing to look at," Shizuru said from the ground, her eyes glued on Kurama as he threw punches at Yusuke's abdomen.

Yusuke and Kurama finally broke apart, covered in sweat and laughing at each other good naturedly.

"Your fighting skills have improved, Yusuke," Genkai commented genuinely, "You must not be wasting time when you're away to the Makai."

"Heh! You won't be so impressed once you've seen him take ME on!" Hiei laughed evilly, his sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight as he stepped forward to take Kurama's place.

As the two powerful demons fought, the commenting on the sideline continued.

"Your brother sure is something," Shizuru commented as Hiei shoved a particularly well aimed foot into Yusuke's thigh and knocked him over. "Small but mighty."

Yukina smiled as she watched Hiei pummel Yusuke into the grass. Eventually, Yusuke managed to get into the groove of the fight and it resulted in a stalemate, both demons glaring at eachother with their fists clenched when Genkai called out for them to stop.

"Kuwabara," the old woman called and Kuwabara stepped up immediately, looking highly nervous. "You I want to focus on differently. We'll be working on swordsmanship, because you really need to focus on using your spirit sword in the most effective manner."

Kuwabara grinned and summoned his spirit sword in a flash and walked over to the practice dummy area with Genkai on his heels. The teacher showed him some moves to practice on the dummies and stepped back to evaluate, giving the girls by the tree a wink.

Kuwabara threw himself wholeheartedly into the training and began running though the moves he'd been shown, swinging and thrusting his sword with gusto. The girls by the tree waited silently for Yukina to make a comment but she remained silent as she watched him.

Keiko felt herself deflate, her plan wasn't working as well as she'd hoped. She had figured after hearing the other girls swoon over their boys and admire the boys and their glorious shirtlessness that Yukina might pay attention to what was right in front of her. After all, Kuwabara was very strong and sturdy and well muscled, even Keiko was admiring the way his muscles were straining from the effort of practice and she had no interest in him at all...so why was Yukina simply watching with little to no emotion on her face?

After a while, Genkai announced training complete for the day and walked back in the direction of the temple without another word. Kuwabara released his sword and let it fade away, panting as he eyed the destroyed straw stuffed targets. Keiko, Boton, Hiei, Kurama and Yusuke followed after Genkai while the others remained to collect the remains of the targets and burn them.

Shizuru stood up from the ground and brushed herself off, Yukina began walking into the clearing towards where Kuwabara was already picking up shattered pieces of targets.

"Shizuru," she said quietly, pausing in her walking to look back at her friend. Her red eyes were bright and she had a smile on her face. "Your brother sure is something too."

Shizuru froze in surprise as the short ice maiden happily began picking up wood chunks beside her little brother, both of them smiling at each other. Kazuma made a comment that Shizuru couldn't hear and Yukina started to laugh and placed her hand on his arm to give it a squeeze.

Shizuru realized right then that their little plan may have had some effect after all.

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 **So, sorry if this didn't quite turn out like I wanted it to :( I'm at work at the ambulance base and it's almost 2 AM so my mind is far from relaxed and far from rested so it may not be up to par...the next chapter will be better, I promise.**

 **After all, it's Yusuke's plan next.**

 **Leave me some feedback if you have time, I love to hear from you!**


	3. Muscle Memory

**I feel like popping out another chapter since my husband is at work and my day is dull...**

 **So here is chapter three!**

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Yukina had started high school once she started staying in the Kuwabara house, Shizuru insisted on it in case anyone ever got suspicious of why a strange girl was suddenly coming and going from the house, the neighbors were annoyingly nosey. They set up the ruse of Yukina being an exchange student and enrolled her in Kazuma's high school, which had made his day when he heard the news.

Today, a week after the day at Genkai's temple, she found herself walking home with an armload of homework that she was feeling very uncertain of. School had just started for the year and this new class was something she'd never even though of studying before...Anatomy and Physiology

The first few days, learning about cell structure and function were intriguing to her and now they had moved on to muscles of the human body and she was confused and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of muscles to learn. She'd never really thought about how complex humans were!

"Yukina!" Kazuma's voice shattered her thoughts and she turned around, smiling at him as he caught up to her, nearly tripping in his hurry. "Glad I caught you! My last class got out early so I can walk you home today!"

"That would be lovely, Kazuma," Yukina said happily, glad for the company to take her mind off the pile of homework and the two papers due by the end of the week. School was stressful...she didn't know how humans did it so easily.

"How are you liking school so far?" it was almost as if he had read her mind.

"It's very challenging," Yukina admitted, hanging her head slightly, "It is much harder than I imagined. I am learning so much, though."

The two of them chatted all the way back to the Kuwabara house and were delighted to walk in and smell dinner cooking, Shizuru stood by the stove and was stirring something in a large pot.

"Is that niku jaga?!" Kazuma asked, excitedly, craning his head over his sister's shoulder to look in the pot. Shizuru elbowed him in the ribs and he backed off quickly, hunched over and holding his side.

"Yes, now go get started on your homework or you won't be getting any of it when it's ready!" Shizuru ordered, turning to push her oversized brother towards the stairs. Kazuma obediently headed to his room, murmuring about how evil Shizuru was.

"How was school today?" Shizuru asked Yukina as the shorter girl set her book bag on the table.

"It was good," Yukina said honestly, "But there is so much homework to finish by the end of this week."

"If you need any help, let me know," Shizuru offered, "I know how odd this must be for you, Hiei said you don't have this type of education system in the demon world."

"Yes," Yukina said with a nod, "We learn more by personal experience and from our times in the human world if we get here. But sometimes we attend school in the human world, like Kurama and I."

"Are you enjoying it?" Shizuru asked, honestly interested in the small demon's point of view.

"I am," Yukina replied with a smile, "It's very interesting to learn about humans. Especially your history, it is very fascinating to see what your species has accomplished."

"Sometimes I forget we ARE different species," Shizuru admitted sadly, "I feel like it doesn't even matter, but I forget that you and Hiei must see things so different from the rest of us who have always been here. Even Kurama grew up like a human."

"It is different," Yukina said, pulling out her history homework and laying it out on the table, "But I enjoy it. It is such a big world here, much bigger than my ice kingdom...so much to see and discover."

That moment, the front door swung open and hit the wall with a loud bang that caused both girls to jump nearly out of their skins, Yusuke stood in the doorway with an amused grin on his face.

"Ugh, Yusuke, you punk!" Shizuru gasped, clutching her chest in fright, "Most people KNOCK before entering."

"Is Kuwabara here?" Yusuke asked without apologizing or looking at all sorry. "I wanted too see if he's up for a movie with Kurama and I, and you guys too if you want to come."

Shizuru hesitated a moment, thinking a movie with Kurama sounded nice, but then shook her head.

"Oh, no you don't, Urimeshi," she stated firmly, "Kazuma has a ton of homework to do before the end of the week and he is going to get it done! He doesn't have time for a movie tonight!"

"I'll ask him anyway!" Yusuke shot up the stairs before Shizuru could say another word.

A moment later, the two boys appeared walking down the stairs discussing the movie and Shizuru met them in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed, her soup ladle dripping on the floor as she glared at her brother.

"You are going to finish your homework," she stated firmly, "You can go to the movies on the weekend."

"Aw, come on, sis!" Kuwabara groaned, "I've been at school all day and I need a break or my brain is gonna fry!"

Yukina stayed out of the argument and pulled out her muscle labeling paper and textbook for Anatomy, flipping it open to the image of a skinless human, words covered the area around the figure, pointing to the major muscles and identifying them. Yusuke left the siblings to duke it out and approached the table with interest, looking over her shoulder at her homework.

"Anatomy, huh?" he asked, making Yukina jump a little in surprise. She turned and smiled up at him.

"Yes," she affirmed, "I am supposed to learn the muscles of the human body before our test on Friday. There are so many! I had no idea how complex humans are!"

Yusuke eyed the image on the textbook page and a fantastic idea popped into his head. If THIS didn't get Yukina to notice Kuwabara as more than just a friend, NOTHING WOULD! He snatched the book up off the table and eyed it carefully.

"Yukina, I have an idea how you can learn it and have it make much more sense!"he announced, tucking the book under his armpit, "Just let me borrow this for a moment and I'll be right back!"

Yusuke took off back upstairs and was gone for quite a while, leaving Kuwabara to be slapped around by his sister and Yukina to sit at the table with a surprised look on her face at the sudden absconding of her textbook. A while later, Yusuke trotted back into the kitchen and handed the textbook back to her.

"Kuwabara, forget the movie, Yukina needs your help." Yusuke announced, causing Shizuru to halt mid-strangle. Kuwabara immediately yanked out of her grasp and slid across the tile floor to Yukina's side.

"What can I do for you, my love?" he asked, puffing out his chest, "Do I need to beat someone up for you? Do you need an errand run? Or is there a physical need I can fulfill?"

"Ugh, stop!" Shizuru covered her ears dramatically, "My virgin ears!"

"Actually it IS a physical need!" Yusuke announced, "She needs help learning human anatomy!"

The soup ladle Shizuru had been holding clattered to the floor and everyone looked over at her in surprise. She was wide eyed for a moment then she shook her head and glared at Yusuke.

"Yusuke, what the hell?" she growled, "What the hell are you playing at?"

Yusuke slung his arm over Shizuru's shoulders and whispered his plan in her ear quickly.

"Ugh," Shizuru shook her head, but took on a resigned look, "I guess you're right. Just...don't let this get out of hand."

"If it does, it does," Yusuke shrugged, "I'd say it needs to happen sooner or later."

"Get out of my kitchen," Shizuru muttered. The three of them did as she said and made their way upstairs.

"So, uh, I'm helping you with your homework?" Kuwabara asked as they gathered in his room, Yusuke grabbed a pile of papers off the desk and a roll of tape from the desk drawer.

Yukina didn't have a clue what was going on, she just watched incredulously as Yusuke approached Kuwabara from behind and pulled his friend's jacket off forcefully.

"Hey! Urimeshi, what is your problem? You're acting like a weirdo!" Kuwabara complained, but he let the jacket come off as it twisted his arms behind him.

"Yukina needs help labeling the muscles of the human body," Yusuke explained as he handed the pile of cards to Yukina, she stared at him with wide eyes. "You can't learn this kind of stuff from a picture in a book. She needs to have a look at a real human to get the real picture!"

With that, Yusuke grabbed the hem of his friend's shirt and began lifting up to pull over his head but Kuwabara shoved him away and firmly pulled the shirt back down.

"Wait, wait," he growled, "So you want me to do what exactly?"

"Be her model," Yusuke said simply.

Yukina suddenly understood and she smiled brightly.

"What a great idea, Yusuke!" she said happily, "Real life examples make more sense to me than book pictures. So I am supposed to stick these labels on the correct muscle?"

"Bingo!" Yusuke laughed, "Now, come on, Kuwabara, you'll have to get down to the bare minimum."

"Uhh...I don't think this is a good idea," Kuwabara seemed very unsure.

"I guess Yukina can fail her test if you aren't willing to help her," Yusuke said nonchalantly. Kuwabara glanced at Yukina and saw her face had fallen slightly at his refusal and he sighed heavily.

"OK, I'll help her," he complied, "But YOU can leave because we both need to get our homework done and Kurama is waiting for you at the theatre."

Yusuke took the clue and, with a simple saluting wave, he left them alone in the room. As he passed Shizuru in the kitchen he made the "OK" sign with his fingers and left the Kuwabara house behind.

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"Can we start now?" Yukina asked once Yusuke was gone, "I have a lot of other homework to do too."

"Uh...sure..." Kuwabara nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "What's the first one?"

Yukina examined the card on the top of the pile. "Brachioradialis."

"Um...I have no idea..." Kuwabara began but Yukina had already ripped a piece of tape off and approached with confidence, sticking the card just below the crease of his right elbow.

"The radius bone is the long bone in the forearm on the side with the thumb," Yukina reasoned to herself, placing her fingers in the crease and prodding, "And the brachial artery can be felt here, I am assuming this is the right muscle."

Kuwabara could have sworn her touch lingered on said muscle for a moment before she stepped back and looked at the next card, but it was so quick that he couldn't be sure.

"Serratus Anterior," she said aloud to herself, her face took on a confused look for a moment before she snapped her fingers and approached with her strip of tape. She eyed him expectantly, waiting.

"What?" Kuwabara asked nervously.

"Um...your ribs," Yukina said, blushing slightly.

"Oh," Kuwabara understood and pulled his tattered t-shirt over his head, baring his torso for her to stick the paper to. He let out an unmanly giggle as she put the paper on its proper muscle group. "Tickles."

Yukina giggled to and she stepped back to look at the next paper.

"Deltoid. Oh, that one is easy!"

She reached up as high as she could to stick the paper to his shoulder and he bent down slightly so she could, he couldn't help but notice how close she was to him as she pressed the tape onto his skin. He felt his skin twitch from the contact and suddenly he felt very self conscious about this whole thing.

"Next one," Yukina sounded so cheerful that he ignored his discomfort and smiled down at her.

"You're good at this, Yukina," he told her as she approached with the next card which she stuck lower down on his forearm than the first one.

"I've been studying hard," Yukina replied, "The human body is very exciting to learn about."

Kuwabara considered that statement for a moment, wondering how exciting the reproduction chapter was going to be for her...he definitely wanted to help her study for that test. The sensation of Yukina's hands on his hip caused him to jolt back to reality and look down to the card she'd stuck there that read "External Oblique"...and there was no doubt about it, this time her hand remained there for a moment longer than it should have.

Yukina's red eyes met his gray ones and they remained like that for a moment before she giggled and grabbed the next card.

"This is fun," she stated, "This one says...gastrocnemius...um...I don't remember this one..."

Kuwabara waited on pins and needles as she thought deeply, wondering where he was going to feel her touch next. If he didn't know better, he'd think Urimeshi had planned this whole thing. It was wonderful and torturous all at once.

"Right!" Yukina finally remembered the location and she knelt down to lift the leg of his jeans and slap the card on the back of his left leg, just under the back of his knee. This one tickled too and he lightly stomped his foot to release some of the tension he was feeling from standing so straight and at attention.

"Hmm..." Yukina was looking at the next card already and looking at him funny.

"What?" Kuwabara's voice felt thick and he cleared his throat, "What's wrong?"

"You'll need to take your pants off," Yukina stated simply. Before Kuwabara could even respond she had stepped up and popped the button of his jeans, he yelped and jumped back a bit.

"Whoa, calm down," he squealed, hands automatically going into crotch protection mode, "Why do I need to take them off?"

"Because this card goes here," Yukina ran her finger across his upper thigh, and an involuntary shudder shot from the area of contact through the entire rest of his being.

"O...ok..." Kuwabara tried to cover up the shudder by shuffling his feet and he quickly slipped his jeans off before he completely lost his nerve and ran away like a child. Yukina pressed the card onto his thigh before he even had time to take a breath and then she stepped back and nodded, her eyes scanning him inch by inch. If Kuwabara wasn't completely off base, he could have sworn she looked...impressed.

"Yusuke was right," she said as she picked up the next card, "I can see all of your muscles very well. You make a great model for this homework."

Kuwabara blushed a shade of red to match his hair and his eyes refused to raise themselves from the floor where they had come to focus on a dust bunny by the foot of his bed. He felt himself starting to shake slightly from his nerves and he bit his bottom lip firmly to calm himself down. After all, she meant what she said...this was schoolwork to her and nothing else.

The next card she placed gently on his abdominals, trying obviously not to tickle him with the paper. This time, her hand remained beside the card for a noticeable amount of time, her palm resting gently on his skin, making him feel like it was on fire just from that slight contact. When she moved her hand away, she let it slowly slide down until her hand slipped limply off his lower abs and hung by her side, her eyes were still focused on the paper she left there.

"You ok?" Kuwabara asked, his voice sounded odd in his own ears. Deeper.

"Yes!" Yukina assured him quickly, almost _too_ quickly, "Next one is...yep, I know this one. Turn around, please."

Kuwabara obeyed, twisting his head to look over his shoulder at her to see where she was placing the card. She pressed it into the curve of his back, just above the card on his hip, and this time he noticed a smile twitching on the edge of her mouth as she let her fingers slide down the rest of his back. He was almost certain this was having some sort of effect on her as well...and the thought made him feel giddy.

This continued for some time, Yukina placed cards on his bicep (which he flexed good naturedly for her), on his upper back, on his chest (which he also flexed for her and earned an appreciative second glance), on the back of his thigh, on his neck, on his temple...pretty much everywhere. Until she got to the last card in the pile.

"I guess you have to take those off too," Yukina stated simply, pointing at his boxers.

"Huh?!" Kuwabara felt his face flare a bright red and he snatched the card from her hand, "I'm gonna kill Urimeshi."

 _Gluteus maximus._

"It goes..."

"I KNOW WHERE IT GOES!" Kuwabara backed up as Yukina approached him, the back of his knees hit the bed and he sat down hard with an _umph._

"You do?" Yukina smiled brightly, "You can put it on then if you want."

Kuwabara just stared at her for a long moment, a million questions and fears and insecurities running through his mind. She waited patiently for him to speak, her innocent red eyes staring all the while. He finally stood up and slapped the card onto the back of his boxers, deciding it was the best choice at the moment.

"Is something wrong, Kazuma?" Yukina asked, her face was scrunched in concern, "You look really nervous."

"Nothing's wrong," Kuwabara tried to assure her, his hand automatically went to the back of his neck and he rubbed it up and down, messing up the back of his hair in the process. "Just...uh...ya know, I gotta...get started on my own homework soon..."

Yukina stared a moment longer and then she smiled genuinely.

"You're right!" she said gently, "Sorry for this taking so long, I really appreciate your help!"

She stepped up to him and quickly began removing the card, making Kuwabara wince in pain as he lost several hairs to the tape. She didn't seem to notice, in fact she seemed distracted to the point that she left behind several cards and quickly exited the room.

Kuwabara was left sitting on his bed, staring wide -eyed at the door and thinking about the moment he'd just passed up.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

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 **How was that? Isn't Yusuke a mad genius? I enjoyed writing this one even though it took me all day because I was so distracted!**

 **You have to admit, Kazuma Kuwabara has the best muscles in the whole crew. Damn.**

 **But, anywho, let me know what you guys think so far! Seriously, I am a review whore...**


	4. Puttin' on the Ritz

**I hope you guys feel privileged, I am passing up my desire to play Skyrim so I can write more for you today :)**

 **So without further ado, Chapter 4.**

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"I can't believe you did that, Yusuke!" Botan giggled as Yusuke revealed his plan from the day before, "That was brilliant!"

"Of course it was," Yusuke said proudly, "I am the sneakiest guy in Japan."

Kurama laughed gently.

"I actually believe that," he said, pouring water gently on a plant on the windowsill. He, Yusuke, Botan and Keiko had met up at his house to discuss the next plan. "I honestly find it hard to believe that plan of yours didn't work."

Yusuke shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Well, you know how it is," he muttered, "Kuwabara would never make a move on her, he's way too much of a gentleman for his own good."

"Maybe the trick is...to get him to make the first move without him _knowing_ he's making the first move," Botan said, placing her finger against her chin in her thoughtful pose.

"And how is that possible?" Keiko asked as she walked around the room examining the various plants that filled every surface, "These are so beautiful, Kurama!"

"Thank you," Kurama said as he sat on his bed next to Botan, "I've been developing a plant specifically for this endeavour of ours. Look."

He reached behind him and took a small clay pot from the windowsill next to his bed and held it out for all to see. It was a small, but strong looking little plant with fuzzy leaves and stems, a single stem stood higher than the rest and had a tiny bud starting to form at the top.

"This is the first time it's formed a potential flower," he said happily, staring at the bud with soft eyes. "When it blooms, it's going to be a perfect mix of colors to remind him of Yukina and I'm going to give it to him to give to her."

"That is the sweetest thing I ever heard!" Keiko swooned, running her finger gently over the soft leaves of the plant. "It's as soft as fleece."

"But," Kurama stated with a grin, "If a leaf happens to be damaged, it will mend it's self quickly and begin growing a new leaf from the mending site. Every time it is injured, it grows bigger and stronger."

"Like Yukina," Botan mused, "Being tortured by humans didn't break her spirit, it only made her stronger and more appreciative of good humans."

"Exactly," Kurama smiled gently at the plant and then replaced it in the sunshine by the window.

"How long until it blooms?" Keiko asked.

"It should bloom in two days."

"Two days is perfect!" Botan squealed suddenly, causing Yusuke to fall sideways off the bed. Botan stood up and began pacing the room, muttering to herself and rubbing her chin. "Yes, I think it would be a perfect plan!"

The other three exchanged glances and wondered what the blue haired Grim Reaper had on her mind.

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Shizuru was brought into confidence about Botan's plan, and everyone was surprised how well she was playing along. She, Kurama and Botan had taken the responsibility of the Kuwabara side of things while Yusuke and Keiko agreed to take care of the Yukina end of things.

Kuwabara was laying flat on the floor of his room with Eikichi sprawled across his stomach when the three of them walked in to get the plan started, loud snoring filled their ears and Botan cringed slightly at the sound.

"Good grief, someone either wake him up or flip him over," she groaned. Eikichi blinked open her eyes and meowed happily at the sight of Kurama, leaping off of Kuwabara to come wind around his legs. Kurama smiled and picked up the cat and began scratching behind her ears.

Shizuru crossed the floor quickly and slammed her foot down directly where Eikichi had been sleeping. Kuwabara let out a earth shattering howl and he sat up to clutch his stomach, his eyes shot daggers at his sister.

"What is wrong with you?" he hissed painfully through his teeth, "Why can't you wake a guy up like a normal person?!"

"Because I'm not a normal person, I'm your sister," Shizuru said simply, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the wall.

"Get out of my room if you're gonna smoke," Kuwabara growled, "Just because you like to smell like an exhaust pipe doesn't mean I have to!"

Shizuru eyed him with annoyance for a moment but she shrugged and tossed the cigarette out the window.

"Could have just asked nicely," she said with a huff, "Especially when we're here to help you."

Kuwabara released his abused abdomen and looked up at them in confusion.

"Hey, Botan. Hey, Kurama, please don't eat my cat!" he said quickly, his eyes settling on Eikichi in the demon's arms. Kurama simply laughed and set the cat back down, she immediately ran over to curl up on Kuwabara's lap. "So, what's going on? What are you helping me with?"

"Your date!" Botan clapped her hands excitedly.

"Huh? I don't have a..."

"You do now," Shizuru cut him off and flung open her brother's closet door, she pulled out a clothes bag that looked like it had never been opened, or at least not for a long time. "You're gonna wear this and I don't want to hear anything about it!"

"I don't know what's going on," Kuwabara whined, "Did I miss something?"

"You're taking Yukina out," Kurama informed him. "She told us all that she's very bored of doing homework and being cooped up in this town..."

"So, march your ass down those stairs and ask her to go on a date with you," Shizuru finished Kurama's statement for him, grabbing her brother by the front of his shirt and yanking him up from the floor.

"Alright! Alright!" Kuwabara cried, his voice full of panic and his arms racing to protect his face in case Shizuru got the idea to hit him, "But what if she doesn't want to?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Botan asked, sounding surprised by his sudden lack of confidence. "Come on Kuwabara, you've never been nervous around her before."

"Yeah but..." he glanced over at the clothes bag on the bed, "This is different."

Botan ran to the clothes bag and unzipped it to see what lay within, and she grinned at the sight. It was a tuxedo.

"Oh, my goodness," she squealed, "If you're going to get so dressed up then you might as well go all out!"

"Now go," Shizuru shoved him out of the doorway towards the stairs, "She's out in the backyard."

Kuwabara obediently made his way down the stairs and out the backdoor. He found Yukina sitting cross legged in the grass, a flock of birds were perched on her shoulders, head, arms and legs and she was talking happily to them. Kuwabara halted on the doorstep and just watched, afraid to scare the birds and ruin her moment, but she soon noticed him standing there and she smiled and motioned for him to come over. He made his way across the yard and was pleasantly surprised when the birds simply moved aside for him to sit across from her.

"Birds really seem to like you, Yukina." he commented, the gruffness of his voice made a few of the birds take flight and Yukina giggled, "Sorry."

"Don't be afraid, birds," Yukina reassured the bird left around her, "Kazuma is the nicest human I know, he'd never hurt you."

The birds chirped happily and two of them fluttered onto his shoulders and settled comfortably there, Kuwabara grinned from ear to ear. She didn't know it, but it wasn't because of the birds, that smile was because of what she had said.

"Um...Yukina..." he tried to work up his courage, clearing his throat and dropping his eyes to the ground as his nerves threatened to take his voice away, "I, uh, bet you're tired of school and stuff..."

Yukina blinked, remaining quiet and waiting for him to continue.

"So...would you like to...do you want to get out of here for a while with me?" he finally managed to get the main point out.

"Of course, Kazuma," Yukina replied, she was about to say more but Kuwabara was already halfway across the yard, scattering the birds as he whooped and hollered excitedly to his bedroom window that she was going with him. Yukina stared in surprise for a moment before shaking her head with a smile and going back to speaking to the birds.

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"This one is perfect!" Keiko squealed happily, pulling the dress off the rack and holding it up for Yukina to see.

"Oh, Keiko...it's far too fancy for me," Yukina blushed brightly at the sight of the dress in front of her.

"Well this is going to be a very fancy night, Yukina," Keiko claimed, holding the dress against Yukina's front to judge the length. "Yes, perfect."

Yukina blushed even more.

"Go try it on!" Keiko happily pushed her friend towards the dressing room, pausing to grab a few accessories on the way there.

As Keiko waited for Yukina to come out, she browsed the shoe selection for the perfect pair to complement the dress.

"Is this good?" Yukina's quiet voice reached Keiko's ears and when she turned to look, her jaw dropped.

"Yusuke! Come here!" Keiko squealed happily, clasping her hands as she stared at the girl in front of her. Yusuke came trotting to them around the dress racks, looking uncomfortable, but he skidded to a stop and stared with wide eyes when he saw Yukina.

"Wow." Was all he had to say.

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Kuwabara stood in the living room of Keiko's house, shifting nervously from foot to foot as he tried to calm his nerves by looking around the walls at the pictures and decorations. Keiko's mother and father were smiling brightly at him from the couch and that only succeeded in making him more nervous than ever. He gulped down the lump forming in his throat and ran his finger under his collar to ease the itching it was causing. He wasn't fond of wearing a tux but he had to admit that it made a man feel like he could go anywhere and do anything.

"Calm down, Kuwabara," Yusuke scolded from his spot on a chair, "Isn't this what you've been wanting since you met her?"

"Yeah, of course," Kuwabara replied, fighting the urge to chew his thumbnail as the minutes ticked by, "I just...can't believe it's actually going to happen!"

Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura smiled and he managed a polite smile in return before looking down at the floor.

Keiko appeared in the doorway then, making Kuwabara snap his head back up.

"Da da da daaaaa!" Keiko fanfared loudly, bending over with a flourish in the doorway, "Kuwabara, I am proud to present your beautiful date for this evening, Yukina!"

Yukina walked nervously into the living room and the only sound to be heard was a gasp from Mrs. Yukimura; Kuwabara could only stare, his breath completely taken away by the sight in front of him.

Yukina looked absolutely stunning. She wore a one shoulder white evening gown with gold trim along the edges of the bust and around her waist; there was a slit in the side that ran up to just above her knee and a sheer gold shawl draped over her shoulders. Her small feet were bare on the wooden floor, her toes freshly manicured and in one hand she held a pair of gold sling-back heels.

Yukina's sea foam colored hair was brushed mostly over to one side, curled and framing her pale face. Her neck was adorned with a string of pearls and a pair of matching earrings dangled from her ears. Her eyes were lined beautifully and highlighted with gray eyeshadow, her lips were lightly colored with nude lipstick.

Kuwabara couldn't move, he couldn't even think of anything else besides the woman standing before him, the woman he would be spending the entire evening with, just the two of them...finally.

A sharp jab in his ribs jerked Kuwabara back to the present and he shook his head to clear his mind and smiled brightly at Yukina.

"Yukina," he said, reverently, "You look...absolutely beautiful."

Yukina smiled brightly, looking up at the young man with appreciative eyes.

"Thank you, Kazuma," she said softly as always, "You look very handsome."

Kuwabara ran his hand along the back of his neck and blushed, grinning like an idiot. But he recovered a moment later and gallantly offered his arm to her which she took happily and they headed towards the door to put their shoes on and get the night started.

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 _Boy, I sure am glad I got my license last month._ Kuwabara mused to himself as he opened the passenger door of his sister's Honda for Yukina, this was certainly no date to be getting by train or bus...no, this was special.

He closed the door once she was in and trotted around to the driver's side, sliding in and smiling at her as they buckled up. Kuwabara grinned at the feeling of the wad of money in his jacket pocket...Shizuru had insisted on helping him pay for the date, claiming she didn't want him to take Yukina somewhere lame on their first official date.

"Where are we going?" Yukina asked as they pulled into traffic.

"Well...I have an idea...but I want to surprise you..." Kuwabara stuttered nervously.

"I love surprises!" Yukina said cheerfully, "I know whatever it is you have planned will be very fun."

They drove for quite a while, chatting and singing along to the radio and laughing at each other's terrible attempts to carry tunes until they reached the city. Kuwabara scouted around until he finally found a spot to park and then he jumped out and ran to open Yukina's door before she could even reach for the handle. Yukina giggled as he opened the door with a bow and a smile, offering his hand to help her out which she took happily and stepped out onto the street with a shake of her hair.

Kuwabara caught a scent from her hair that made him feel giddy, it was sweet like vanilla but it was mixed with something uniquely her. His stomach tightened and he closed his eyes for a moment to savor the scent before she moved away and he lost it to the familiar smells of downtown Tokyo...which were not nearly as pleasant.

"Where are we headed, Kazuma?" Yukina asked, bringing him back to the moment.

"I hope you're hungry, Yukina," Kuwabara said with a grin as they began walking, "Because I hear from a reliable source that you love sushi."

Yukina giggled and nodded excitedly.

"I think sushi is my favorite thing about the human world!" she said, her eyes bright.

"I agree with you one hundred percent!"

A small walk later found the pair sitting in a dimly lit circular booth, munching on Ika Nigiri, Unagi and California Rolls.

Yukina's eyes rolled back into her head as she savored the flavor of her sushi, a groan made its way out of her throat and made Kuwabara look up in surprise, eel hanging halfway out of his mouth. Yukina's eyes were closed and she dramatically swallowed the sushi with the most satisfied look on her face he'd ever seen...and it sparked many swallowing related thoughts in his male mind. He shook his head and chewed the rest of the eel in silence.

 _Damn it, Kazuma, get your head on straight. This is supposed to be romantic._

"This is so fucking good!"

Kuwabara's jaw dropped and several fellow diners looked over in shock at the loud outburst from the innocent and elegant looking girl.

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When they walked back out onto the street, the sun had set and the streets were lit up by the city lights, Yukina looked impressed by the sight and Kuwabara smiled as she pointed out every neon sign that caught her interest, expressing how colorful and bright they were.

"Human cities are lovely!" she declared as they walked along, side by side, "It's almost as if it's still daylight it's so bright!"

They walked along in silence, Yukina excitedly looking around at all there was to see and Kuwabara's eyes softly gazing at her as he took in the sight of her looking so happy. He found himself wishing he could always make her feel this way, and he believed he could if she would only listen to what he tried to tell her every time he saw her.

"Here we are," he announced, stopping suddenly when he realized they'd reached their destination. Yukina turned around quickly and her jaw dropped when she looked up and saw the bright sign above them. It was a moving sign, displaying what was to come on the inside.

"Oh, Kazuma! How did you know I wanted to see this?!" she squealed happily, clasping her hands together as she watched the dancers flit across the LED display. Large letters popped up after the dancers passed: The Tokyo Ballet

"I, uh, heard you mention it to Shizuru one night," Kuwabara admitted, self consciously rubbing the back of his neck again, "I remembered yesterday when I was thinking of what to do tonight. Is...is this alright?"

Yukina nodded with gusto, her eyes drifting from the sign to look at him.

"I said that a long time ago," she said quietly, "How did you remember?"

"I hear every word you say, Yukina," Kuwabara admitted quietly, he met her eyes with gentle sincerity, "Everything you say is music to my ears."

Yukina blinked quickly, her mind trying to process his words, but she found herself being gently led inside by his hand on her back and her thoughts were drowned out by the sights and sound of the theatre lobby. Bright red carpet and gold trimmed balconies and pillars and intricate statues and chandeliers and beautifully dressed people on every side of her...it was all so much and far too beautiful for words.

In the hustle and bustle of the crowd, Kuwabara was afraid tiny Yukina would be separated from him so he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and reached over, brushing his fingers gently over her palm as a request to hold her hand and he was delighted when she clasped it without a word, her gentle smile was enough to embolden him to pull her a little closer as they made their way up to the balcony to their seats.

He had purposely gotten the front row of the balcony so Yukina could see well with no obstructions due to her small stature and she excitedly sat down in her seat and leaned against the railing in front her to gaze down at the crowd below.

"So many beautiful humans," she mused, "They're all dressed up so nicely."

"Pretty fancy," Kuwabara replied simply, running his finger under his bowtie to pull it away from his neck if only for a moment.

They sat and examined the program guide together, the production was Swan Lake and Yukina pointed at the pictures of the dancers to comment on their beautiful poses and gorgeous costumes until the lights went down and she fell into an awed silence as the orchestra began to play the first song of the night. Kuwabara leaned back in his seat and sighed, preparing himself for the long show...he was doing this for Yukina, and he was glad to do it, but this was not really his cup of tea.

However, halfway through the program, he found himself enjoying it and clapping with enthusiasm and not just out of politeness. Maybe this fancy stuff wasn't so bad...

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Yukina was on cloud nine by the time the show ended, she actually had shed a few tears throughout and she spun around on the balls of her feet as they stepped out onto the sidewalk which made Kuwabara laugh lightly at her attempt at ballet.

"Oh, Kazuma, that was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!" she breathed dreamily when her spin was done, "Humans are so fascinating. You can do such wonderful things and create such beauty...every day I live here I find something new and fascinating about your species!"

Kuwabara glanced around to make sure no one had heard the ice apparition's musings and then he smiled down at her and shrugged.

"I enjoy being one," he joked with a wink, "But you've shown me that demons can be beautiful too."

Yukina gave him a shy smile and looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes, he felt his heart skip a beat at that look she was giving him and he swallowed thickly as his brain tried to process what his next move should be.

"So...what do you want to do now?" he asked as the rest of the theatre began to empty out onto the street around them.

"Let's go somewhere...quieter," Yukina suggested.

"I have an idea," Kuwabara said thoughtfully, "I don't know how you feel about cats..."

"I adore Eikichi!" Yukina assured him, "I haven't met many other cats but I think I like them."

"Well then let's go this way! It's just around this block."

The coffee house was empty at this time of night, the evening crowd had passed through and the staff were lazily lounging behind the bar enjoying the peace of the final hours of operation for the day. The shelves and windowsills and booths and tables weren't empty of life, however...cats laid out on nearly every sparkling clean surface, their bright eyes focused on the newcomers.

"Hello welcome," the waitress who was wiping down one of the tables greeted them with a smile, "Take a seat anywhere you like and enjoy, can I get you drinks?"

They ordered their drinks and Yukina immediately gravitated towards a huge fluffy gray mass of fur on the table near a booth and slid onto the seat, reaching out to stroke the pile of fluff. The fluff pile's head popped up and bright yellow eyes locked onto hers, a loud rumbling purr erupted from it's midsection under the fur somewhere.

"Eikichi is nowhere near this furry!" Yukina mused as the cat stood up and began rubbing against her hand. "I like these really fluffy ones!"

Kuwabara chuckled and slid into the booth beside her, the cat immediately turned to him and mewed before jumping down into his lap and curling up to continue its nap. A sleek, brown tabby and a small black cat jumped onto the table and Yukina giggled as they mewed brightly at Kuwabara.

"Cats seem to like you," she commented as the black one rubbed his head under his chin.

"I guess they can tell I like them too," Kuwabara replied, gently pushing the small cat away as the waitress set down their respective drinks. "I'd rather have a cat than a dog anyday. Cats are so calm and relaxed...just really personable."

"I like them too," Yukina decided as she stroked the tabby's head, "I don't know about dogs yet, I have only seen them on the streets being led on ropes."

Kuwabara sipped on his coffee in silence, happy just to watch the girl by his side happily playing with the two cats on the table. He absentmindedly stroked the huge mass of grey fur on his lap and he felt happier than he had in a long time...at peace for once.

The hour passed quickly and closing time rolled around, they paid and thanked the workers on their way out. They walked in peaceful silence down the street on their way back to where they had parked the car earlier that night, comfortable just being next to each other, no words were really needed. The wind began to pick up and Kuwabara groaned in annoyance at the sensation that he felt flit across his mind...it was going to rain any second now.

He glanced up at the sky, not that you could really see it because of the bright city lights, and sniffed the air. Glancing down at Yukina, he quickly removed his tuxedo jacket and draped it over her shoulders just as the first drops began to fall, heavy and hard. She glanced up at him in surprise and smiled.

"You knew that was coming?" she giggled.

"Well, I am psychic," he teased, wincing at the feeling of the large drops hitting him as they fell. Yukina pulled the jacket over her head and picked up the pace as much as she could in her high heels, but by the time they reached the car, they were both fairly soaked through.

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When they pulled into the driveway of the Kuwabara house, the rain was still falling heavily despite the decent length of the drive home. They both got out and made a dash for the door but Kuwabara yelped in surprised and smacked firmly into it when he turned the handle and it didn't budge. Mumbling under his breath, he lifted a stone from the walkway and found the spare key for the door and ushered Yukina through first once it was open.

A note laid on the kitchen counter and Yukina picked it up and read it out loud.

"Kazu, I have to go take care of a friend who got completely trashed at a party, I probably won't be home until morning. Make the most of your opportunity, little brother. Shizu."

Kuwabara snatched the note and read it with his own eyes, squinting suspiciously at the last statement. His sister was definitely a shrewd creature...

"Oh my goodness, do humans wear these things often?" Yukina's voice whined from the doorway where she was kicking the heels off. "My feet hurt."

Kuwabara kicked off his shoes beside hers and took his jacket from her with a smile.

"Only on special occasions, usually," he offered an explanation, "Come on, go get changed into something comfortable and we can relax for a while."

Yukina nodded and made her way upstairs, Kuwabara followed not far behind and Eikichi met him at the top of the stairs with a happy mew.

"Hey, girl, did you miss me?" he asked, scooping the cat into his arms with a grin. He went to his room and set her down on the bed while he peeled off the rain soaked tux, yanking the bowtie loose with a relieved sigh. "Whoever invented ties must have been a masochist."

He hung the clothes up to air dry and made a mental note to take them to the dry cleaners the next day. He grabbed a pair of black sport pants and a loose grey t-shirt from his drawer and threw them on unceremoniously, relieved to be comfortable again. He heard Yukina's bedroom door shut and her footsteps as she made her way back down the stairs to the kitchen so he left his room and trotted down the steps as well.

"Hey," he said gently when he saw her standing in the kitchen starting a pot of tea, "I'll do that, go ahead and sit down and rest your feet, alright?"

Yukina blushed but nodded, handing him kettle and departing to the living room. Kuwabara thought over the night's events as he prepared the tea and smiled to himself when he realized everything had gone smoothly and perfectly...and it seemed that there was more perfection to come. Placing two cups and the kettle and all the trimmings on a tray, he carried the whole thing up to his room and returned back downstairs for Yukina.

"Hey, um...do you want to come watch a movie in my room?" he asked, rubbing his palm along his arm nervously. He shouldn't have worried about her response because she immediately nodded and smiled, following him up the stairs.

Yukina immediately sat on his bed next to Eikichi and began scratching her calico back, smiling gently as the cat arched her back in response to the touch. Kuwabara poured Yukina a cup of tea and watched the exchange with slight jealousy.

"Cats have all the luck," he muttered under his breath as he took the two tea cups over to the bed and handed one to Yukina, she took it with a smile. "What would you like to watch, love?"

After scanning through the collection of movies available, Yukina settled on Shizuru's beaten up VHS tape of Sleeping Beauty. Kuwabara put the movie on and clicked on his desk lamp, turning off the overhead light to make the atmosphere a little more intimate, then he sat on the floor and leaned back against his bed. Yukina sat cross legged on the bed behind him, he could feel her shins pressing against the back of his head and he smiled as an idea came to him.

"Hey, do your feet still hurt?" he asked, leaning his head back to look up at her. She smiled down at him and nodded.

"Yeah, a little bit," she admitted.

Kuwabara smiled back up at her and reached behind him to gently grab her left ankle, pulling her legs out of their crossed position, and laid her left leg over his shoulder. His stomach was in knots, waiting for her to pull her leg out of his grip and kick him in the face for his forwardness...but she didn't, and he was shocked when her felt her other leg slip over his other shoulder. Trying to keep his mind on the task at hand, he took her small left foot in both of his hands and began to gently rub it with his thumbs.

"Oh, wow," Yukina sighed happily, "That feels so good, Kazuma."

The words sounded exactly like he'd always imagined in his mind, breathless and soft in his ears. He smiled and continued working the soreness from her dainty feet, his fingers memorizing the feel of her skin just in case this was their only chance to experience it and his mind memorizing the sounds of her small pleased moans as she soaked in the feeling of her very first foot rub.

He was so engrossed in the noises she was making that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her shift her body slightly, her right heel dug into his chest as she scooted forward a bit and he could tell she had lifted her arms. He was about to release her foot, thinking maybe she was getting up, when he felt her fingers slip into his hair. He was too shocked to move, but his hand automatically tightened on her foot as his body tensed up from the unexpected contact and that caused Yukina to yank her hands back.

"Sorry!" she squeaked, sounding embarrassed, "I just...I...wanted to feel it...it looked soft..."

Kuwabara chuckled and reached for her other foot, beginning the soothing process all over again, hoping she would relax again.

"You're fine, Yukina," he assured her quickly, "I was just surprised, that's all. You can play with my hair if you want to."

He hoped with all his might that she wanted to...and she did. He closed his eyes and sighed as those small, cold hands wound their way into his thick, un-styled hair and made him tingle from head to toe. He let his head lay back onto her lap and let himself get lost in the sensation of her fingers threading through the ginger layers and the tugs when they snagged slightly from the residue of hair gel that the rain had almost completely washed out.

"Thank you so much for taking me with you tonight," her voice was so quiet and he opened his eyes to look up at her to be sure she had actually spoken and it wasn't his imagination, "I had a lot of fun with you."

"I didn't take you WITH me," he corrected her, "I took you FOR you. I...want to make you happy, baby."

"Why do you do these things for me, Kazuma?" Yukina's hands continued to twine in his hair, but he could tell she wasn't focusing on that anymore from the absentminded feeling behind the movements, "I've never seen you do something like that for anyone else. What makes me so special?"

It was his moment. He'd been waiting for her to notice she was different to him, he'd hoped for so long that she would see that she was special to him. He pulled away from her hands, releasing her foot, and turned around to face her, getting up onto his knees to be on her level. His now entirely loose hair hung into his eyes and around his ears and he shook it away from his face only to have it fall right back to where it was, this made Yukina giggle.

"What makes you special?" he repeated, gently laying a hand on her knee, "Everything, Yukina. The moment I saw your face I knew you were someone I wanted to be around. I know you all laugh when I say we were connected, but I wasn't kidding...the string was there and it led me right to you. When I see you I feel invincible and like I could never fail. When I'm with you I feel the happiest I ever feel and all I want to do is make you just as happy."

Yukina remained silent, blinking quickly with her eyes wide and focused on his.

"You're smart, you're kind, you're beautiful!" Kuwabara continued, on too much of a roll to stop even if she wanted him to, "I would do ANYTHING for you, all you'd have to do is ask. I just...I love you. I love you more than anything in this world or any of the other two worlds as well."

As soon as his speech was done he swallowed thickly and clamped his mouth shut, waiting on pins and needles for her to respond. Suddenly, he was terrified...this was the moment she could utterly destroy him.

"You...feel that way about me?" she whispered softly, "Even though I'm a demon and you're a human?"

"Yes."

"Is that what you mean when you say you love me?" she asked.

"Yes."

A long silence followed his reply and he started to feel very uncomfortable because she hadn't broken eye contact with him the entire time...it was like she was trying to read his mind or something.

"Are you...gonna...say anything?" he finally shattered the silence, his nerves nearly frayed from the intensity of the moment.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered in reply.

The words hit like a ton of bricks in Kuwabara's stomach and he stood up quicker than he thought was possible, he ran his hand through his hair and turned his back to her as a lump rose in his throat and threatened to make its way into a frustrated scream.

"I mean...I really like you a lot, Kazuma," her voice reached his ears again and he felt the stress lift immediately from his shoulders at those words, "But I'm still not sure how to love in a human way. I...I need to learn more."

Kuwabara turned back around and grinned.

"Well then I'll keep trying to teach you," he offered, walking over and sitting on the bed next to her, "If that's what you want me to do."

"I really do," Yukina replied happily, "You truly are my favorite human."

"Well then that's good enough for me right now," Kuwabara said with a laugh, "Maybe soon you'll see me as more than that."

Yukina smiled and laid her head against his chest, he draped his arm over her shoulders and they watched the rest of the movie in comfortable and hopeful silence.

Shizuru found them in this position when she got home that morning at 5 AM, Kuwabara leaning back against a pillow propped in the corner of his bed and Yukina halfway laying against him, her head resting on the center of his chest and her left hand gripping a fistful of his shirt. They both snored softly and Kuwabara nuzzled his nose into Yukina's hair in his sleep, making Shizuru smile.

"Oh, little brother," she whispered quietly, "Looks like there's some hope for you two after all."

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 **Whew, omg, that was a long chapter. It took WAY longer than it should have because my husband kept trying to read over my shoulder and I didn't want him to think I'm weird for writing romantic fanfics about cartoon characters...**

 **Please review and let me know your thoughts on where to go from here.**

 **Next chapter is Kurama's flower :)**


	5. Kurama's Gift

**I had this chapter running about in my mind and so here it is. Very short but very important.**

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Kurama tied the red ribbon around the clay pot and finished it in a perfect bow. He stepped back to admire his efforts and nodded with approval. The fuzzy little buds had bloomed that morning, the flowers that emerged were exactly what he was hoping they would be: the centers of each were pure white and it deepened shade by shade into a deep sea foam green as it spread from the center and then the tips were a sudden and vibrant red.

The colors of ice, Yukina's hair and her ever present red hair ties.

Smiling, Kurama picked up the plant and headed out to his car and began his short drive to the next town over to deliver it to his friend.

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Shizuru, Yusuke, Keiko and Botan sat in the Kuwabara house kitchen, discussing the success of the previous night's events. Kurama knocked on the door and was immediately invited into the group's conversation.

"Oh, Kurama, it's perfect!" Botan exclaimed when the red-haired demon set the pot on the counter, "It DOES remind me of Yukina as soon as I see the colors!"

"Thank you, Botan," Kurama replied in his usual gracious manner, he took a seat on one of the barstools next to Yusuke, "I take it last night was a success?"

"Psh, it should have been more of a success than it was," Shizuru replied with a laugh, "I had to go pick up one of my friends and take her back home last night, idiot got so drunk she couldn't even call a cab. I was gone all night."

"So they were here alone?" Yusuke perked up at the potential for good gossip and something to hold over his best friend's head.

"Yeah, and I even left a note telling him he should use it to his advantage," Shizuru affirmed, "But I'm pretty sure nothing happened."

"Of course not, Shizu!" Botan said disapprovingly, "Kuwabara is a perfect gentleman, he'd never take advantage of Yukina!"

"Maybe he's too much of a gentleman for his own good," Keiko commented.

"You all are forgetting something very important," Kurama spoke up, "Yukina is very young by demon standards, barely older than a child and still very ignorant of the human world. She isn't even 100 years old yet, too young for her to have even experienced demon mating."

Everyone was silent, knowing that Kurama's observation was correct.

"She has no clue about human sexuality."

"No wonder this isn't getting anywhere!" Keiko groaned.

"She's in Anatomy class," Yusuke shrugged, "She'll get to that chapter soon enough."

"Oh, right, because that class will clear up any questions and make her totally ok with it," Botan rolled her eyes, "She was confused about what a date even was last night."

"How do YOU know?" Shizuru gazed at the blue haired girl in shock. Botan blushed furiously and immediately began sucking down her tea...everyone waited till she couldn't hide behind her cup anymore.

"Oh, fine, I admit, Koenma and I were watching from his office!" she blurted loudly, "We had a bet going on whether or not they would kiss!"

"Did they?" Keiko asked, suddenly much more interested.

"Please spare me of any graphic details," Shizuru begged.

"Well...he kissed the top of her head," Botan replied simply, "But since Koenma had meant a real kiss, I won the bet. I'm sorry but...I bet against him. I know for a fact that Kuwabara is a perfect gentleman and I was correct in assuming he wouldn't push it."

The front door opened suddenly and the conversation came to a grinding halt, Kuwabara dragged himself inside and threw his book-bag on the table unceremoniously.

"Ugh!" he groaned loudly, "That was a rough day...oh...hey, guys!"

Everyone waved and smiled and Shizuru grabbed the book-bag and flung it into her brother's chest, he grunted painfully and grabbed it before it fell to the ground.

"Take your shit upstairs to you room," she hissed, "I JUST cleaned this house!"

Muttering darkly and making threats under his voice, Kuwabara obeyed and made his way up the stairs to his room. Kurama slid silently off his barstool and picked his potted plant back up, following not far behind.

"Kuwabara, I heard your date went well last night," he said as he entered the room. Kuwabara looked over his shoulder and grinned.

"Yeah, it sure did!" he said happily, "I really think I'm making some progress, Kurama! I mean, she still doesn't understand yet but...I think she's starting to work it out in her mind. She did tell me I'm her favorite human."

Kurama laughed good naturedly at how excited his friend looked over a simple comment like that, he set the flower pot on the desk.

"Wow, Kurama, what is that plant?" Kuwabara asked softly, "It...it reminds me of...Yukina! Yeah, it's the color of her hair!"

"Precisely," Kurama was glad he'd caught on so quickly, "I bred this flower specifically for you to give to her. It has no name, it's a totally new species and it requires very little care besides water and sunlight."

Kuwabara stared at his friend for a long time and then he finally cracked a huge grin and gave Kurama a good natured slap on the back.

"Thanks, man," he said as he examined the plant closely, "It's even soft like her. I can't wait to give it to her!"

"No problem," Kurama replied happily, a burst of unified laugher could be heard down in the kitchen and he smiled lightly, knowing that someone had just come up with a new plan, "And good luck."

Kuwabara watched Kurama walk out with a confused look on his face. _Good luck with what?_

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Yukina eyed the score of her anatomy test with pride, she'd scored in the top of her class second only to a particularly smart human girl with freckles and thick glasses.

"Excellent job, Yukina," the teacher had told her, "Whatever your study method was for this test, continue it, you did much better than your previous test in this class."

Yukina walked into the house and saw everyone sitting in the kitchen, looking highly amused. She greeted them all with a smile.

"How was the test, Yukina?" Shizuru asked immediately, trying to distract Yukina from wondering why everyone was here.

"Excellent!" Yukina replied happily, "I got the second highest score! Thank you so much for your help, Yusuke."

"Not a problem," Yusuke replied with a cheesy grin, "Glad to have helped you out."

"Is Kazuma home already? I want to thank him for helping me study."

Everyone exchanged glances and then nodded, pointing to the stairs. Yukina gave them a funny look before she left the kitchen to go find him.

"I bet she won't thank him the way he'd most like her to," Yusuke muttered, earning a smack to the back of the head by Botan. Yukina wondered what that meant, but chose to ignore it as she made her way upstairs.

"Kazuma?" she hesitated at the open door to his room before entering and found him staring at a plant on his desk, he immediately spun around at the sound of her voice and yelped, side stepping to block the plant from view.

"Yukina! I'm really glad you're home!" his voice sounded oddly high-pitched and Yukina cocked her head at him, waiting for him to continue. "How did your test go? I'm sorry I didn't wait to walk you home from school, I had a really long day and..."

"It's ok, Kazuma," Yukina assured him quickly, "I got the second best score in class on my test. I wanted to thank you for your help with my studying the other day. My teacher says I should always study that way since my grade improved so well."

Kuwabara thought he would like to find that teacher and shake the man's hand...

"What's that plant you have?" Yukina asked, trying to see around him. He kept stepping in front of it and it was frustrating her.

"Um, it...it's actually..." Kuwabara desperately tried to think of a way to keep the plant a secret until later but he knew he was failing badly so he just sighed and picked it up, holding it out to her. "It's for you."

Yukina let out a surprised little gasp and reached out to accept the pot. She looked closely at the flowers and gently touched the fuzzy leaves.

"It's a special plant," Kuwabara explained, "There's no other plant like it. Kurama made it for me, the colors are colors that remind me of you. It's...I want you to have it."

Yukina smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

"This is so sweet of you, Kazuma," she said softly, "I know that humans consider giving beautiful flowers to be an expression of love, I see it in your movies. Is that what this means?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara was delighted that he didn't have to explain the custom, it was progress, "That's exactly what it means."

Yukina held the plant close to her chest and smiled so big that it made her eyes crinkle at the corners.

"Someday I will understand what it means to love like you do, Kazuma," she stated, matter of fact, "And I know that, when I do, I will show you in return."

Kuwabara watched the ice maiden gracefully exit his room, flower pot in hand, and thought he'd never heard anything quite as wonderful as that.

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 **Simple, short and sweet chapter for you :)**


	6. Gossip

**Got a lot of time on my hands today so I'm pumping out chapters like crazy!**

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"Kazuma sure is a catch."

Yukina heard the group of girls across the cafeteria say this and she immediately tuned into their conversation from her seat across from Kazuma. She sipped her miso soup quietly and wondered what they meant by "a catch".

"I never really thought much about him before that earthquake," one of the girls, a blonde with outrageously bright pink eyeshadow stated, "But that was very weird how he knew it was going to happen. We all could have been really hurt if we hadn't been prepared."

It was true, Yukina mused to herself, she'd heard the story from Kazuma many times. He really seemed to like telling it, and he always seemed to puff up like a bird when he did.

"Yeah, I know, after that I paid a bit more attention and he's actually really funny," the brunette with choppy short hair said.

"And he's really attractive!" stated the other blonde, her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. "I mean, not CUTE like some of the boys here but there is something about him that just makes me go a little crazy inside."

"He's so tall," the first blonde said dreamily, "And damn those shoulders...so strong. I bet he could carry me across the threshold with no problem."

The three girls broke into a fit of giggles at that and Yukina glanced up from her bowl of soup to consider Kazuma's appearance. She liked being around him a lot and of course she thought he was funny...but she'd never really paid much attention to how he looked. They were right, he did have very broad shoulders and his arms were thick with muscle. She knew they were right about him being strong, she'd witnessed his strength many times in battles and training, he was the strongest human she knew.

Kazuma must have sensed her staring at him because he looked up at her suddenly, a soba noodle hanging between his lips, mid way to being slurped up. He sucked the noodle in and swallowed it quickly and then grinned at her.

"You alright, Yukina?" he asked, "You look like you're thinking pretty deep there."

She just smiled back at him and shook her head, her eyes scanning his face. The girls were right, he had very good features, but they weren't like the other boys. His face wasn't a soft, round face like so many others, he had prominent features and intense grey eyes...and Yukina thought she liked his face better because of them.

"I really like his voice too," the girls were talking again and Yukina focused on them again. It was the brunette speaking this time. "It's so deep and gruff, can you imagine how he must sound in bed?"

Yukina sensed all three girls shudder collectively and she wondered why that statement caused that reaction. She'd heard Kazuma in bed...he snored pretty loud and it really wasn't a good thing in her opinion.

"Stop it, Risa, I'll have to go change my panties if I think about that!" the ponytailed blonde squealed.

"I bet he's a total animal," Risa continued, ignoring her friend's statement, "Like, throw you down and completely destroy a woman type of animal."

"Eek, Risa!" ponytail blonde squirmed in her seat and blushed furiously, her eyes darted over to look at Kazuma.

He seemed completely unaware of the conversation, Yukina noticed, and she dropped her eyes to her now empty soup bowl and fumed. Why would these girls say such mean things about him? He was no animal, he was a perfectly good human and no different than any of them, except for his spirit awareness...why would they call him these things?

"That little girl he's always hanging out with, I wonder who she is?" Yukina stayed focused on her bowl, trying not to look at the girls because she knew for a fact the pink eye blonde was looking at her.

"Uhg, I know, one day she just shows up out of the blue and lives in his house," Risa said, sounding annoyed, "He is ALWAYS fawning over her. He acts like a complete fool when she's around."

"I wonder what he sees in her?" ponytail blonde huffed, "She is way too small and way too innocent. I mean, come on, he practically throws himself at her feet and she uses him like a coat over a puddle."

Yukina felt her cheeks start to burn as a self-conscious blush crept into her skin.

"She doesn't deserve his attention," Risa agreed, "She obviously doesn't like him in return, she's just wasting his time and keeping him chained up so no other girl has a chance to take him away."

"Why does he waste his time with her and keep her around?"

"Maybe she's crazy good at giving head."

"Risa! Look at that girl and tell me she's an expert...she probably doesn't even have a clue what a dick is!"

"Plus, she's too small," Risa grumbled in annoyance, "As big a guy as he is, you KNOW he's got to be packing some major hardware. She couldn't handle it."

Yukina was completely lost, she had no idea what these girls were talking about at all. She was about to ask Kazuma what they meant when the bell rang for the next period and the cafeteria began to bustle with moving students and the noise level was too high for a quiet conversation. She saw Kazuma's hand reach out and take her tray from under her nose and she looked up with a start and smiled when he winked at her and took her tray to the drop off for her. He returned a moment later and held his hand out to her like he always did to help her stand and she accepted it as always, but those girls' words burned in the back of her mind the whole way through the cafeteria. In the hallway, Kazuma put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her gently before they parted ways for their separate classes and Yukina watched him walk away, a million questions buzzing around in her mind.

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Yukina's last class got out an hour before Kazuma's last class so she normally walked home on her own, but today she sat on the front steps of the school and waited for him, absentmindedly attempting to straighten the pleats in her skirt.

The final bell sounded and the older students began pouring out of the doors, their voices filled the previously silent air and Yukina dropped her gaze to a crack in the step when she heard the voices of Risa and her two friends.

"Oh, great, now she's waiting for him after class so he can't even talk to other girls on his way home," the pink eye blonde muttered as they passed her, Yukina could tell by the volume of her voice she intended it to be heard.

"Yukina!" Yukina felt a flood of relief wash over her as Kazuma's brash voice drowned out the crowd around her, she raised her head and smiled up at him, and when she was sitting and he was standing, that was a really long way up! "What are you doing here still?"

"I was waiting for you," she said meekly, knowing very well by the prickly feeling on the back of her neck that the three girls were still watching their interaction, "I just wanted to talk to you, I had a few questions."

"Wanna talk over some ice cream?" Kazuma suggested and Yukina nodded eagerly, just wanting to get away from the judging eyes around her.

"Oh, yes, please!" she said happily, taking his offered hand to stand up. She brushed off her skirt and went to reach for her book-bag but Kazuma already had it slung over his shoulder, not even caring that it was bright purple.

He offered her his free arm and she placed her hand on the inside of his forearm as they began to walk away from the school, she chanced a glance over her shoulder and immediately regretted it...Risa was scowling right at her.

"So?" Kazuma said once they were away from the school, "What did you do to piss off Risa and her quad?"

Yukina looked up in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she and her two blonde sidekicks were looking at you that whole time on the steps," Kazuma explained, "And they weren't friendly looks."

"I honestly don't know," Yukina admitted, "I've never even spoken to them."

"Hmph, yeah," Kazuma seemed amused by something.

They reached the ice cream shop and he held the door open for her and they sat across from each other in a booth. Yukina prodded her red bean ice cream with her spoon, trying to figure out what to ask him first and not to make it hurt his feelings, she didn't want to tell him people thought he was an animal...

"Yukina, I know why those girls were looking at you like that," Kazuma stated out of the blue, derailing her train of thought.

"You do?" she squeaked.

"Yeah, I saw how they were looking at you and I didn't like it so I took a peak in their minds," he admitted sheepishly, "You know, to make sure they weren't a threat to you. But, uh, they're just jealous of you."

"Jealous? Of me?"

"Yeah...they hate that you're the only girl I care about," he explained.

"Oh..." Yukina rolled that information over and over in her mind and decided she liked that they were jealous and was glad Kazuma didn't like them, girls like that who talked mean about him didn't deserve his attention! "I admit...I listened in on a conversation of theirs in the cafeteria about you."

That caught Kazuma's full attention, he looked up in surprise and cocked his head in a way that begged her to share the details.

"But it wasn't nice," she warned him quickly, "They started out nice, talking about how cute and funny you are, but then Risa said she thinks you're an animal."

Kazuma's eyes widened and the corner of his mouth twitched in amusement.

"Did they now?" he asked.

"Yes, they did, they said you seemed like the type who would...what did she say...throw a girl down and destroy them," Yukina innocently continued.

Kazuma had just taken a bite of his ice cream and at her works he inhaled sharply and choked, going into a coughing fit that left Yukina wide-eyed in surprise.

"They said that?" he finally managed to croak between coughs, he smacked his chest with his fist in an attempt to clear his airway.

"But I know it's a lie!" Yukina assured him, not wanting him to think she believed it. "I know you'd never do anything of the sort!"

"Hmmph, don't sell me short, Yukina," he replied, crossing his arms in front of him defiantly, "You don't even know what I'm capable of."

Yukina stared at him for a long time, unnerved by the seriousness of his face and tone...he seemed a bit insulted.

"What's a dick?" she finally blurted, trying desperately to ease the sudden frigidness. It worked. Kazuma burst in raucous laughter and slapped the table a few times as he struggled to breathe through it.

"Where did you hear that?" he finally asked, tears of amusement sliding down from the corners of his eyes.

"I heard one of the blonde girls say it" Yukina replied, blushing because the people in the shop were now looking at them oddly, "She said I didn't know what it was...and she's right, I don't."

"What else did they say?" Kazuma leaned forward, looking very curious but taking it down a level so the whole establishment wouldn't hear their conversation.

"They said they wonder why you are so crazy about me and Risa said I was probably good at something...I don't know what it is either," Yukina reported, thinking back to the conversation in the cafeteria, "I thing she said...something about a head and that it's why you kept me around."

Yukina noticed Kazuma's eyes were dancing with amusement and he was waiting for her to continue.

"And then they said I was too small for you," she finished, easily remembering the last statement, "And I wouldn't be able to handle your massive hardware."

It was too much, Kazuma actually had to go outside because he was laughing so hard. Yukina watched him through the window and cocked her eyebrow in confusion, he was literally bent over and holding his stomach as he laughed, she could hear him through the glass...finally, he walked back in and paid for their ice cream and immediately pulled her up from the booth and out the door, still chuckling as they went.

"Yukina, did they really say all that?" he asked once they were outside, "So that's why Risa is always looking at me that way in class. She's chewed through dozens of erasers already this year, she just...stares and chews all the time."

"Kazuma, I don't know what's going on," Yukina whined, feeling severely confused and little bit afraid she'd said something wrong.

"Oh, hey baby, it's ok," he noticed her face had scrunched up into a pre-cry expression, "Don't cry, it's not bad, it's just so funny to hear you say stuff like that. You're so cute."

Yukina had had enough of Kazuma's patronizing tone for one day and she suddenly stopped walking and stood perfectly still, her hands on her hips and her eyes glaring up at him from behind. He realized she'd stopped walking and turned around to find her glaring ice daggers at him, almost literally when the air around them became noticeably chilly from her powers flaring up.

"Hey, whoa, whoa!" Kazuma stepped back a pace and held his hands up in a gesture of peace, "Yukina, I'm just teasing you, don't get mad, please!"

For a moment, Yukina's demon mind told her it would be fun to maybe freeze the gel in his hair, but she shook her head and let her anger fade. After all, she wasn't sure what was going on so maybe it really was as funny as Kazuma was making it seem.

"I'm sorry, Kazuma, I just feel so confused," she sighed, letting her powers fade. "Please explain what I said?"

Kazuma looked at her in silence for a long time and then he rubbed the back of his neck in his nervous way and grinned.

"I, uh, I think you should talk to Shizuru about this one," he admitted.

"Don't YOU know?" Yukina asked, wondering why his tone had become so serious all of the sudden, and so nervous.

"Yeah, I know," he assured her quickly, "But...you probably need a girl's opinion and Shizuru has information that I probably don't where this conversation is concerned."

"Ok, I'll ask her when we get home," Yukina shrugged, slightly annoyed at his sudden lack of openness.

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 **Hee hee hee, poor Yukina. She has no clue!**

 **This was super fun to write and I am now upping the rating because who knows where this is gonna go.**


	7. Birds and Bees

**Pumping out chapters as fast as highschoolers pump out babies in my hometown!**

 ***clears throat* Um...anyway...next chapter O.o**

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Shizuru looked up from the book she was reading on the couch at the sound of the front door opening and the sound of Kazuma thundering up the stairs immediately, Yukina stood in the door way looking utterly lost.

"What's his problem?" Shizuru inquired as Yukina walked into the living room.

"I don't know," Yukina admitted, "I told him some things I overheard at school and he got really awkward and told me to come talk to you."

"Uh oh," Shizuru peeked over the top of her book, knowing almost exactly what was coming, "What did you hear?"

Yukina related the entire story over again and Shizuru closed her book with a sigh and patted the couch next to her.

"Come sit down," she said wearily, "There's some things you need to know about humans, honey. Let me go call Keiko and Botan, they'll be able to help explain it too. There's some topics I just really would rather not talk about, my little brother's "hardware" is one of them..."

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Botan and Keiko sat on the edge of the couch a half hour after Shizuru's desperate phone call, looking amused and awkward.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Yukina asked, her eyes flicking around the group.

"I brought this," Keiko offered, handing Shizuru a small book. Shizuru eyed it with amusement and shook her head with a laugh.

"I never thought I'd have to do this ever again," she muttered, "It was hard enough explaining this to Kazuma when he was little."

Yukina wanted to scream in frustration but luckily Keiko decided to start things off by handing the book to her. Yukina looked at the title on the front cover: Boys and Girls are Different.

"Um...just read this and we'll answer any questions you have," Shizuru explained, lighting a cigarette.

Yukina sighed and leaned back on the couch, opening the book and beginning to read. The other three girls watched from the kitchen as Yukina's expressions changed throughout the process of reading the information in the book. A while later, Yukina sat up straight and laid the book on the coffee table in front of her, the others filed back into the living room and waited for her to speak.

"So...that was...that explains a lot of things," Yukina sputtered nervously, completely unsure of what to do with the information she just learned.

"Anything you need to ask us?" Keiko asked gently.

"So...those girls were talking about...when they said hardware...?" Yukina started to realize now why Kazuma had reacted the way he did at her story.

"Yeah," Shizuru confirmed her suspicion.

"But...if all boys have...this," Yukina vaguely pointed to the book, "Why would that make him an animal like they said?"

Shizuru choked on the smoke of her cigarette and excused herself from the conversation, heading outside as quick as she could muttering "nope, nope, nope".

Keiko rolled her eyes and turned to focus on Yukina, someone had to enlighten this poor girl.

"Um, Yukina, may I ask how demons, um..." she looked to Botan for help.

"Mate?" Botan offered.

"Yeah, sure, how demons mate?" Keiko didn't like that term but if it helped Yukina understand better...

"Ice apparitions are forbidden to mate," Yukina stated grimly, "It's a terrible offense punishable by death and banishment. We are able to bear children on our own."

"Oh dear..." Botan swallowed thickly, "So if an ice apparition and a human...?"

"That would be the highest offense of all," Yukina said quickly, and it started to dawn on her face where this conversation was going.

"So do you know how humans...um...mate?" Keiko really hated that term.

"No..." Yukina admitted, "I don't even know how demons mate."

"It's basically the same with less blood and broken bones," Botan offered helpfully. Keiko felt like she was going to throw up.

"Oh, good grief," Keiko stood up and went to the phone, a few moments later she returned. "Yusuke is coming over. He's not shy at all about this stuff."

Yukina rolled her eyes and sighed. She felt like she was never going to get the truth.

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Keiko was right though, Yusuke told Yukina everything and then some without any hesitation. Yukina knew the basics and many of the finer points and various techniques of human sexuality in a very short amount of time, even Keiko and Botan learned a few things.

"So, are you confused anymore?" Yusuke asked, kicking his feet up on the coffee table and leaning back looking proud of himself.

"No..." Yukina said softly, "Now I'm overwhelmed..."

"We'll leave you to mull it over," Botan tugged on Keiko's arm and they made their way to the door, "If you have anything else you need to know...ask Yusuke!"

Yukina and Yusuke sat in awkward silence.

"I guess I'll go too," Yusuke announced, standing and stretching his arms over his head, "Welcome to the human world."

"Yusuke?" Yukina had one last question on her mind, she was afraid to ask it because she already knew the answer deep inside, "Does...does Kazuma want to do those things to me?"

"Of course," Yusuke shrugged, "He's a human, it's something all humans require at some point."

"Thanks for your honesty, Yusuke," Yukina sighed, "I have a lot to think about."

Yusuke gave her a two fingered salute and then sauntered to the doorway for his shoes and left.

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Shizuru finally came back inside and peeked around the corner of the doorway.

"Are you educated now?" she asked snarkily.

"I think so," Yukina replied, blushing brightly. "I...had no idea..."

"Of course not," Shizuru shrugged and plopped down on the couch, "You're not human, how were you supposed to know?"

"Apparently it's basically the same for demons..." Yukina mused, "No wonder Hiei hates Kazuma being around me."

"Us older siblings are very protective our little siblings," Shizuru admitted, "But you have my permission to do whatever you two decide to do. I won't kill you like Hiei might kill Kazu."

"You...you want us to?" Yukina asked nervously.

"You two are old enough to make your own choices," Shizuru said with a sigh, "But don't worry, I know for a fact Kazu will never make you do anything you don't want to do."

"But I'm going to have to," Yukina stated, thinking of Yusuke's statement of all humans needing this 'sex' thing. "He said I had to."

Shizuru shot off the couch with a furious howl.

"HE DID WHAT!?"

Yukina's eyes went wide and she wondered what had set Shizuru off, but she nodded.

"I'm going to pound his ass into an early grave," Shizuru's face got terrifyingly dark very quickly and Yukina found herself wondering what Yusuke had said that was so wrong. But Shizuru spun on her heels and made for the stairs with alarming speed and Yukina jumped up to follow her to see what was going on.

Before she even reached the foot of the stairs she heard a very loud bang of a door being flung open into the wall and the terrified shriek of Kazuma...and she realized her mistake. She hadn't specified that YUSUKE had told her she had to, not him!

"Oh no! Shizuru, wait!" she immediately ran up the stairs and practically slid into Kazuma's room.

Shizuru had her hands clasped tightly around her brother's neck and she was shaking him roughly against his bed, Kazuma's eyes were bugging from loss of oxygen but Yukina noticed he wasn't even trying to fight back. Surely Kazuma, being as large and strong as he was could easily fight a girl! He did, however, finally managed to pry her fingers off his neck and he sucked in a lungful of air.

"Sis, what are you doing?!" he gasped, he sounded terrified.

"You hypocritical pig!" Shizuru roared, her knee rose quickly and would have connected very painfully if Kazuma hadn't known it was coming and yanked Shizuru backwards with him onto the bed, he gained the upper hand and rolled over to pin her down by her wrists.

"Shizu! Calm the fuck down and tell me what you think I did!" he yelled firmly. Yukina had never heard him use that tone of voice before and, apparently, neither had Shizuru because she halted her attack and looked at him in surprise.

"I can't believe you," she muttered through her teeth, "All that big talk about being a man and treating girls with respect and your code..."

"Shizuru..." Yukina tried to get a word in but Shizuru was quicker.

"You told her she had to have sex with you!?"

Kazuma didn't move for a second, he just stared at his sister in disbelief, then he quickly stood up and looked over at Yukina in utter shock and confusion.

"I...what? I never..." he sputtered, his face blushing brightly.

"He didn't!" Yukina finally said, loudly, "Yusuke told me that, not Kazuma!"

Kazuma's jaw dropped and Shizuru smacked her palm to her forehead.

"Oh my god, Yukina, did Yusuke come over here and talk to you about this?" she asked grimly.

Yukina nodded.

"Oh, that's just great," Kazuma groaned, he went to the mirror and examined the handprints forming on his neck, "Damn, Shizu, how do I explain this to the teachers tomorrow?"

Shizuru sat up, looking extremely sheepish.

"Well...I just...misunderstood is all," she argued, "I...should have known better...I'm sorry, Kazu."

Kazuma sighed and turned around to smile at his sister.

"It's ok, Shizu," he said graciously, "I get it."

Shizuru nodded and left quickly, obviously not having anything else to say. Yukina stood in the middle of the room, suddenly feeling extremely awkward at being alone with Kazuma now that she knew what she knew.

"So...um...Yusuke explained everything?" Kazuma asked, rubbing the back of his next like he always did when he was nervous. "I hope he didn't just make shit up."

"Keiko assured me he told me the right things," Yukina replied quickly, maybe too quickly. "Sorry about that...I didn't think about how that sounded when I told her that."

"So...Yusuke told you that you have to sleep with me?" Kazuma asked quietly.

Yukina nodded quietly and she saw Kazuma start to chew his bottom lip like he always did when thinking deeply. But he finally seemed to come to a decision and he walked over to her and leaned down slightly to cup her chin in his hand.

"You do realize that...you don't have to, right?" he asked quietly.

"You don't want to?" Yukina wasn't sure why, but that thought kind of hurt.

"Oh no, I _do_ ," he corrected her quickly, "I love you, I've told you that over and over again. But I would NEVER tell you that you have to do anything. If you ever decide you want to then I _absolutely_ want to, but it's not a requirement."

"But Yusuke said every human needs it," Yukina explained, so badly confused. Yusuke made it sound like sex was something every human just ran around doing for fun, but when Kazuma talked it sounded far more serious.

"Well...I don't know about that," Kazuma admitted, "I guess maybe it's true in a way, but it wouldn't kill a human to never do it."

Yukina blinked, unsure.

"Oh, and can I make a request?" Kazuma's eyes twinkled with amusement, "Don't assume Urimeshi is the expert on romance, because he doesn't know a thing about it. If you have a question or need to know something, don't be afraid to talk to me."

"But you wouldn't explain THIS to me," Yukina reminded him, making him blush and straighten back up.

"Well...yeah...because I figured you should probably hear it from a girl," he said in his defense, "I had no idea Urimeshi was gonna get involved!"

Yukina suddenly felt very tired and she yawned widely, she hadn't realized how tense she had been all day and it all suddenly melted away. The mystery was solved, the feeling of confusion was gone, she didn't feel pressured, and Kazuma wasn't acting any different to her now than he had...in fact, he even seemed more relaxed as well.

"All this new information wear you out, love?" Kazuma's voice sounded very soothing in her ear and she swayed on her feet, but his hand was there in an instant to steady her. She blinked slowly up at him and felt suddenly very bold and very sure of something.

"Can I sleep with you?" she asked softly, "Not like THAT but just sleep...you can do homework next to me. I just feel like...I need to be close to you. Does that make any sense?"

Kazuma smiled down at her and nodded.

"Makes sense to me, what do you think I've been doing for these last few years?" he wiggled his eyebrow at her, "I just wanted to be close to you too."

Suddenly, a piece fell into place for Yukina in this huge puzzle known as love.

"So...when you love someone, being with them, even just in the same room, makes everything feel better?" she asked in awe.

"You're finally getting it, aren't you?"

"I think...I think I'm starting to," Yukina smiled softly, "So can I...lay next to you while you study?"

"The term is cuddle," Kazuma informed her, "And, yes, you definitely can!"

Cuddle? The word was odd in Yukina's ears but she laid down on the bed while he collected his homework and textbooks from his deck. He flopped down on the bed next to Yukina so hard that she actually bounced into the air with a shriek.

"That was weird," Yukina laughed as she pushed her now messy hair out of her face, "So...laying next to each other is cuddling?"

"Sort of," Kazuma grinned at her and then he put his arm around her and pulled her closer so she was pressed firmly to his side, her head on his shoulder and her arm draped over his stomach. "Cuddling is more like this."

"I like cuddling," Yukina whispered as she felt her eyelids getting undeniably heavy, but she had one more thing to say, "Kazuma?"

"Mmhm?"

"You always call me 'your girl', right?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, I mean, I know you're not really, but..."

"I want to be."

The silence that followed that statement was heavy and full of emotion, Yukina reached out to his mind with hers and she felt an overwhelming surge of absolute happiness pulsing from him.

"I can't believe this is actually happening..." was the last thing she heard him say before she fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

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 **Awwwww, yay! She's finally starting to understand! All that undying perseverance on Kuwabara's part SHOULD have paid off in the manga and anime...I choose to believe it did.**

 **Anyway, there is more to come so keep checking up and I'll keep updating!**


	8. Spin the Bottle

**I have nothing to say, so here is the chapter!**

 **I WILL note that I know nothing about Japanese cinema so I went with American movies because...well...I'm American and these movies are the ones I know best.**

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Kuwabara groaned as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, Shizuru's brutal attack the previous afternoon had definitely left its mark on the pale skin of his neck, long bruises in the identical shape of her fingers spanned both sides.

"Good thing I'm eighteen now or else the school would probably call someone to come have me taken away," he muttered grimly, testing the tenderness of the bruises with his fingertips. Thank God, they didn't hurt, but they sure looked bad.

Sighing, he pulled on his school uniform, grabbed his bookbag and headed downstairs to face what promised to be a horrifying day.

"Oh, Kazuma!" Yukina gasped when he walked in the kitchen, her hand went to her mouth and her eyes were wide.

Shizuru looked up from the funny pages of the paper, gave him a long look and then wordlessly turned and started dialing the phone.

"Hello, Mr. Matsuo? This is Shizuru Kuwabara, I am calling to let you know that Kazuma and Yukina will not be able to attend today due to a family emergency. Yes, I will be sure to tell them. Thank you, we will. Sayonara."

She hung up the phone without even looking at them and then walked up to her room with a cup of coffee and her funny pages, leaving Kuwabara and Yukina looking at each other in gleeful confusion.

"No school today! Three day weekend!" Kuwabara punched the air and Yukina giggled happily.

"Yay! Let's go to the park today!" she said.

"Aww, we can't love," Kuwabara sat on the barstool next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, "Shizuru told them we had a family emergency, if anyone saw us hanging out in the park they'd know it was a lie."

"Oh...you're right," Yukina pouted, her bottom lip sticking out a bit. Kuwabara smiled at her pouting face and started considering their options for entertainment if they couldn't go anywhere.

"We can always cuddle on the couch and watch a movie," he suggested with a grin, hoping this sounded like as good a plan to her as it did to him.

"I would like that a lot," Yukina blushed and seemed to shrink a bit as she blushed and ducked her head.

The two of them ate breakfast in relative silence together and Kuwabara couldn't help thinking of how happy he was to have a whole day literally stuck in the house with Yukina! He glanced over at her and watched as she examined the new breakfast cereal Shizuru had bought with obvious curiosity. She poked the golden flakes with her chopsticks and then tasted a tiny bite...she then proceeded to eat it with an intensity that made Kuwabara chuckle softly.

"Be back in a sec," he stated, putting his now empty plate and chopsticks in the sink for Shizuru to do later. He ran upstairs and brushed his teeth, hoping against hope that movie-watching cuddles on the couch might just lead to a kiss or two...hey, he could hope, right?

"I picked one out," Yukina held up the tattered VHS tape that said: Sleepless in Seattle. "What is Seattle?"

"It's a city in America," Kuwabara replied, sitting on the couch.

"America?" Yukina thought hard for a moment, knowing she'd heard the name before, "We fought them in a war, right?"

"Yeah, but we're allies now," Kuwabara reminded her, "We'll have to go there someday, I think you should see more of the human world than just here."

"I would like that," Yukina smiled, "How far away is it?"

"Pretty far," Kuwabara admitted, "Depending on where we want to go. It's a really big country."

"Is Seattle far?" Yukina put the VHS in and joined him on the couch, setting her cup of tea on the coffee table.

"Closer than a lot of places."

The movie began to play and Yukina fell silent, entranced in the film. She pulled her legs onto the couch and leaned over against Kuwabara with a sigh, scooting closer into his side. Grinning, Kuwabara leaned back but got a better idea and laid out completely on the entire length of the couch, pulling Yukina down with him which made her squeak in surprise. They settled into the go-to spooning position that was all the couch would allow for them to fit. Kuwabara's arm made a pillow for her head and she sighed happily as she relaxed into his chest, he was just happy that she was comfortable with the position and he didn't push his luck anymore. They simply relaxed and watched the movie, Yukina asking a question now and then and Kuwabara trying to focus enough on the movie to be able and answer...to be honest he wasn't a chick flick fan but he would watch it if it meant snuggling with his lady.

The movie ended and they sat up to stretch out the kinks from laying in one position too long, Yukina hopped up to pick another movie. Kuwabara smiled as he watched her pick through the piles of tapes, she loved movies and was fascinated by them from day one.

"I can't decide," Yukina sighed, "I want to watch them all!"

"Close your eyes and pick one out at random," Kuwabara suggested. Yukina obeyed, closing her eyes and over dramatically twirling her hand before settling it on a tape, she opened her eyes and picked it up for Kuwabara to see. Top Gun.

"Ha! Ok, I didn't even know we had that one."

The movie began, Danger Zone played, and Yukina came back to the couch. She stood there for a moment, waiting.

"Are you going to lay down with me again?" she asked.

Kuwabara grinned and nodded eagerly, laying on his side and scooting against the back of the couch to give her room to lay in front of him.

"Hey, you two," Shizuru's voice made Kuwabara jerk in surprise and he looked over his shoulder where his sister was leaning against the back of the couch and looking down at their very close position with bored eyes. "I'm going shopping, you guys want anything special?"

"No thank you, Shizuru," Yukina replied sweetly, her attention going back to the intense aerial training between Maverick and Jester.

"I'm good, thanks, Shizu," Kuwabara answered as well.

Shizuru left the room, going back up to her room, but Kuwabara heard her come back down the stairs fairly quickly and make her way back to the couch.

"I'll be gone for a few hours," Shizuru stated, poking her little brother in the shoulder to get his attention. Kuwabara turned slightly to see what she wanted. "Don't do anything stupid. Play it safe."

She grabbed his hand and put something into his palm and immediately turned on her heel and jogged to the front door. Kuwabara opened his hand and his eyes almost popped out of his head at the sight of the square foil wrapped item it held.

Play it safe. She wasn't kidding.

He shoved the package between the couch cushions and tried to put it out of his mind, which wasn't so easy since the next scene in the movie involved a lot of tongues and breathy gasps and silhouettes squirming in the evening sunlight...

"So..that's sex?" Yukina blurted out.

Kuwabara groaned inwardly, not knowing what he should say...

"Yeah, kinda," he finally croaked out, "But...I don't think that much tongue is necessary."

Yukina began to giggle, her whole body jerking from the laughter she was trying to keep inside. Kuwabara realized what he'd said and began to chuckle right along with her until the two of them were laughing so loud that Yukina rolled off the couch onto the floor so she could sit and hold her stomach.

"Thank Koenma!" she said when she had regained her ability to talk, "That did not look fun at all!"

That shut Kuwabara up. What did she mean? The whole concept didn't look fun? The kissing didn't look fun?

"Hey, it's great when you do it right," he defended himself, not even knowing why he felt so insulted. HE would never kiss a girl like that.

"You'll have to show me sometime," Yukina stated as she got back on the couch.

Kuwabara stared at her for a long time, mulling that statement over and over in his mind.

"I...I could show you right now..." he suggested.

"Ok!" Yukina looked excited, "What do I do?"

"Just..."

BANG! They two of them jumped in shock as the front door was flung open and hit the wall. Yusuke!

"Damn it, Urimeshi, can't you knock like a normal person!?" Kuwabara growled, jumping over the back of the couch to grab Yusuke's shirt and shake him.

"I thought maybe you two would like to join Keiko, Kurama, Botan and I for a rousing game of..." Yusuke waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Spin the Bottle?"

"Are you crazy or something?" Kuwabara rolled his eyes, "What are you, ten?"

"We're just trying to help you out, Kuwabara," Botan announced, propping her oar up beside the door as she entered.

"I keep telling them you don't need any more help," Kurama stated as he kicked his shoes off behind Botan, "But they insisted and I figured I should supervise."

"I don't need any help from the likes of you, Urimeshi!" Kuwabara insisted, "In fact, you just ruined my moment."

"Well, we'll get it back," Yusuke assured his friend, smacking him on the back and making Kuwabara wince. "By the way, from the look of your neck you haven't been missing out on any moments."

"Shizuru choked the crap out of me last night for your information!" Kuwabara shrieked loudly.

"Does she do that a lot?" Botan asked, eyeing the bruises with interest, "Those are perfect finger shapes!"

"Hello, everyone," Yukina walked into the kitchen and smiled brightly, "I am so glad to see you all! Kazuma and I got excused from school today and we've been watching movies."

"That's what we heard," Kurama replied.

"So we came to keep you company!" Botan finished cheerfully.

Yukina was delighted, but Kuwabara felt so cheated by the turn of events and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans with a huff as they all walked into the living room together.

"Cheer up, Kuwabara," Botan whispered, poking him in the ribs with her elbow, "Sorry we interrupted, but I guarantee you'll kiss your girl by the time this is over."

"Yeah, I guess so," Kuwabara felt a little better, but he was still thinking about what he was missing. Kissing someone for a game was different than kissing because you want to.

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The six friends sat in a circle on the floor, alternating boy and girl all the way around.

"What happens if it lands on another guy?" Yusuke asked, as Keiko laid the glass bottle on the floor.

"You gotta kiss them, duh," Keiko rolled her eyes, "That's the game!"

"No way! I am not kissing Kuwabara!" Yusuke stuck his tongue out.

"What about Kurama?" Kieko asked.

"Kurama...yeah, I'd kiss him if I had to," Yusuke admitted, making Kurama laugh and Kuwabara cross his arms, looking insulted.

"How do we play this game?" Yukina asked, poking the bottle with her toe.

"We go in a circle," Keiko explained, spinning the bottle to show the ice apparition how it was done, "The person spins the bottle in the middle of the circle. Whoever the top of the bottle points to at the end, they have to kiss them. And, yes, it can be a kiss on the cheek if you want."

The bottle slowed down and stopped, pointing to Kurama. Keiko blushed slightly but leaned to her right to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Hey, you said we could do cheek kisses," Yusuke complained.

"I said if you wanted to," Keiko corrected, winking at her boyfriend good-naturedly.

"My turn," Kurama stated calmly, giving the bottle a small spin and it pointed across from him to Botan. "Where would you like me to kiss you, Botan?"

"Always a gentleman, aren't you, Kurama?" Botan giggled, but she puckered up boldly and Kurama scooted over to her and kissed her lips. "Very nice."

"Thank you," Kurama inched back to his seat.

"My turn!" Botan clapped happily, she spun the bottle with gusto and grinned wickedly when it landed on Kuwabara who rolled his eyes and leaned over to peck her on the cheek.

Botan shook her finger at him and smiled wickedly.

"Oh, no you don't!" she scolded, "You're about to be one hundred percent off the market, this is my last chance for an honest to God kiss from you. Remember, you asked me to marry you once!"

"Ahhh! That was...I...that was before I knew Yukina existed!" Kuwabara defended himself, Yukina just giggled.

"Maybe I just want to know what I turned down," Botan said with a shrug, she winked at Yukina. "Now kiss me, and kiss me RIGHT. It has to last several seconds and I want full on lip-lock."

Kuwabara looked to Kurama for help.

"Spinner has the choice of kiss," Kurama shrugged, looking amused.

Kuwabara looked at Yukina, trying to judge her emotions. He didn't have to guess, he could sense her emotions easily, and she seemed totally unaffected by the events so he sighed and turned to Botan, the blue haired grim reaper grinned ear to ear and leaned forward to whisper in his ear:

"Don't hold back, ok? Do it right and I'll let you know if there's anything you can improve before you kiss Yukina."

"Was that your plan all along?"

"Well...not completely," she admitted sheepishly, "But I might as well help you out, right?"

Kuwabara gave her an unimpressed sneer but he thought maybe it was a good idea to get an opinion first before he kissed Yukina...

Sighing, he leaned forward and closed his eyes a second before he met Botan's lips and kissed her steadily and with as much enthusiasm he could muster in the situation. It wasn't bad, Botan's lips felt soft and sure and he felt bad for enjoying this...

When he pulled back and opened his eyes, Botan's eyes were still closed, her mouth slightly open.

"Well?" he asked, breaking her from her moment. She shook her head and smiled brightly.

"Oh, honey," she said, sounding impressed, "Don't you change a thing."

Kuwabara felt his chest puff out slightly at Botan's praise. It was a relief to know he was good at this.

The game went on for a while, a few awkward kisses later (mostly on cheeks) Kuwabara's heart soared when Yukina's spin finally landed on him. He felt his heart skip a beat when she smiled at him and he grinned like an idiot right back at her.

"Finally!" Botan sat back to enjoy the show.

Kuwabara eagerly got into position, turning to face her and getting onto his knees to get the leverage from above that he wanted, Yukina stayed in her sitting position and she giggled nervously when Kuwabara's right hand lifted her chin up to get better access to her lips. He gave her an adorable half grin and moved in for the prize, cupping her chin in his hand.

Yukina wanted to watch everything happen but it felt odd to keep her eyes open so she let them flutter shut and she twitched a little when their lips finally connected softly, gently. He tested the waters, letting her get used to the brand new feeling, and she got used to it fast! Yukina instinctively reached out and tangled her fingers into the hair at the back of Kuwabara's neck and she gripped it tight which spurred him into action, his kiss became more aggressive and she matched him in gusto.

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Hiei flew over the rooftops at full speed, muttering to himself about how ridiculous it was that his sister was staying with the Kuwabara family, it didn't seem like a good idea to him with the way that big oaf fawned all over her.

He was on his way to see her, he missed her...but he would never let her know that.

He skidded to a stop at the gate to the front entrance of the house and made his way up to the door. He opened it silently, kicking his boots off in the entryway.

 _Looks like everyone else is here too. Those are Kurama and Yusuke's shoes._

The sound of giggling met his ears from the living room and so he headed that way...and then he froze in the center of the living room doorway, his jaw clenched tightly, his fists started to heat up with the threat of flames bursting from them, his eyes squinting dangerously as he took in the sight before him. That overgrown HUMAN has his lips all over his sister's! He felt his face get hot and he shook himself out of his shocked frozen state.

"I"LL KILL YOU!"

Kuwabara barely had time to break the kiss and look up before Hiei's entire body slammed into his chest, knocking him flat on his back. Hiei kept one foot on his chest and drew his sword quicker than Kuwabara could even say a word, jabbing the blade's point right under his Adam's Apple.

Everyone began talking at once, telling Hiei to calm down and begging him to stop and listen, but Hiei ignored them all, his furious eyes burned into Kuwabara's terrified ones and he allowed his face to take on his demon features, his teeth sharpened and e curled his lips back so they could be clearly seen, his ears became pointed, his Jagan eye popped open and his pupils became snake-like slits. Kuwabara swore he was going to pee his pants in terror.

"HOW DARE YOU EVEN TOUCH MY SISTER!?" Hiei roared, his voice terrifyingly loud and deep for such a small guy.

"I...I..." Kuwabara tried very hard to defend himself but it only made Hiei's sword come closer to his throat.

"Don't, Hiei!" Botan shrieked, "It was just a kiss!"

"I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS!" Hiei turned his gaze on Botan and she shrunk back with a shriek.

"STOP!"

Hiei and Kuwabara both went wide eyed and turned their heads simultaneously to see Yukina standing up, glaring angrily at her brother, her eyes pure white as she sent a blast of frigid air in his direction. Kuwabara shivered as the air rushed over them and Hiei growled at the sensation. Yukina approached them and laid her hand on Hiei's arm.

"Please, don't hurt him, Hiei," she said gently, "I need to tell you something."

"And what might that be?" Hiei hissed bitterly, but he removed his foot from Kuwabara's chest and let him sit up.

"Kazuma and I," Yukina informed her brother, "We are together now."

"WHAT!?" Everyone said at once, shocked by the statement.

"When did THIS happen?" Hiei insisted angrily, "And WHY!? What could you possibly see in this pathetic human?"

"What's wrong with humans?" Yukina asked in annoyance, "I like humans! And I like Kazuma especially!"

Kuwabara smiled despite the situation, she hadn't just been talking out of tiredness the other night. She had really meant it! They were official!

"But..."Hiei started to argue but Yukina shushed him loudly.

"But nothing, Hiei," she said firmly, "I know you're my brother but you can't tell me who I can and can't choose to be with."

Hiei looked around the room at the faces staring at him, tensely awaiting his reply. He stared at his sister for a long time, trying to make her crack under his glare...but she didn't budge.

"Hn." was all he said before he disappeared at full speed out the front door.

Yukina knelt next to Kuwabara and began examining him.

"Are you hurt?" she asked in concern.

"Naw," Kuwabara muttered, "Just...wasn't expecting that."

"This sure didn't go as planned..." Yusuke stated from his spot on the floor.

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 **There you go, sorry if this is rushed or not well written. I am pretty much half alive right now and in desperate need of sleep. Today was my fit for duty test which required a lot of lifting, running and stair climbing so that on top of sleep deprivation makes for not the best writing.**

 **Review anyway, because I love it :)**


	9. Jealousy

**I am exhausted but I'm starting another chappie while I watch Cupcake Wars...**

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Yukina hadn't seen Hiei since the week before and she was very unhappy about that. But, on the other hand, she and Kazuma had been having a lot of fun together. Ever since she had said they were together in front of everyone he had been even more sweet and excited to be with her than before, he was constantly taking her out for walks in the park and laying out in the yard with her looking for shapes in the clouds and cuddling with her on the couch as they watched movies and giving her quick, sweet kisses when she least expected.

She smiled at the thought as she walked down the school hallway to her next class. Being Kazuma's girl was a very special thing and she couldn't stop thinking about that first kiss, they'd not kissed like that since and she wondered why. She figured he was probably afraid Hiei was watching and waiting for him to make a mistake.

"Yukina!" Kazuma's voice reached her ears and she turned to find him charging at her from down the hallway, she smiled at his silliness.

"Hi, Kazuma," she greeted him happily, "I can't talk long, I am on my way to science class."

"I know, baby," he replied, "I just wanted to tell you I'll be late to lunch today, I have to go help set up stuff for the theatre department. They need a big, strong man to do the heavy lifting."

He flexed to prove his point and Yukina giggled at the cheesy grin he gave her.

"Well they're in luck," she encouraged him, "Because they don't get any stronger than you."

Kuwabara let out a gleeful laugh and he waved goodbye as he left in the direction he'd come from. Yukina shook her head with a smile and turned to walk to her class, but bumped into someone.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized immediately, "I wasn't paying attention."

"Hmph, of course not," the voice was far too familiar. Risa.

"You were too busy squishing Kazuma under your thumb," one of the blondes, Yukina wasn't sure which, said snootily.

"I...I have to go to class..." Yukina ran all the way to her next class and slipped inside with a sigh, happy to be away from those horrid girls and their terrible accusations. Now that she had an idea what they talked about among their group, she knew they wanted Kazuma for reasons not even related to his charming personality and kind heart...they only wanted him for sex reasons. They constantly had him on their minds when he was anywhere near.

Yukina was very distracted through class and by the time lunch rolled around she realized she hadn't really listened to a word the teacher had said through all of science class. She walked to the lunchroom and took her usual seat, feeling odd without Kazuma sitting with her. She ate quietly and hoped he would at least be there before she had to go back to class.

Ten minutes left of lunch and he finally walked in and immediately made for their table. Yukina smiled at his appearance, he had his uniform jacked draped over his shoulder, wearing only a tank top over his torso. He was shining with sweat and had smudged of dirt and dust covering various areas of his face and chest and arms, he must have been unpacking long stored theatre stuff from the storage shed. She noticed that his tank top clung tightly to his abdomen, accentuating the defined muscles underneath.

"Hey, babe," he said happily, sitting down and immediately eating his sandwich. Since he couldn't really talk to her with his mouth that full, she began to look around the now nearly empty lunch room and instantly regretted it when she saw Risa and her crew staring over at their table. Blushing, Yukina looked down at her lap to avoid their eyes and she let her mind open to their conversation.

"Did you see him lifting those old doors for the background?" one of the blondes asked, "Those arms of his are perfect."

"His everything is perfect," the other blonde agreed.

"I swear one day I'm just going to walk up behind him and get my hands on that ass," Risa said, sounding very honest about it.

"I dare you," the first blonde said with a nasty sneer. "Do it. He'd never hit a girl, what is he gonna do about it?"

Yukina was shocked, would Risa really do that?

"You ready for class?" Kazuma's voice cut into her thoughts and she hesitated a moment before nodding and standing up. She wondered if she should tell him what Risa had said, but decided against it because she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

The headed for the hallway and did their usual hug before splitting up for their separate classes, Risa and her crew followed them out and, since they were in Kazuma's year, they headed off with him. Just as Yukina was about to round the corner, she turned to get one last look at the group and was just in time to see Risa boldly reach her hand out and grab a handful of Kazuma's left buttcheek. His yelp echoed down the hallway and he turned around in a flash, blushing furiously when he came face to face with Risa.

"Hey, Kazuma," she said, looking right back at him with absolutely no shame, "What are you doing after school today? I think we should go to my place and fix that pesky little virginity problem of yours."

Kazuma's mouth open and closed wordlessly, shock written all over his face. He looked like a scared fish...

"I...it's not a problem," he finally blurted out, blushing an even brighter shade of red, "I'm just waiting on someone."

"Yeah, I know," Risa hissed, "That innocent little thing you follow around like a sad puppy? You're wasting your time, she'll never be able to make you feel like I can."

"I don't..." Kazuma began but Risa put her finger over his lips and he fell silent, his whole body tense.

Risa grinned wickedly and stood on her tip toes to whisper in his ear, Yukina listened in.

"You have no idea the things I can do, Kazuma. I can rock your world so hard you'll never recover. Things that sweet little sugar cube would never even be brave enough to try."

Yukina peeked around the corner again to see Kazuma's reaction and what she saw was not what she expected. He was looking at Risa with something Yukina couldn't really name, but it was very akin to interest with a twinge of discomfort. She'd seen enough, she backed away from the corner and took off at a run down the hall, tears threatening to slip down her cheeks but she kept them in. She didn't feel like explaining that to anyone, and she had no idea why she felt this way in the first place.

As soon as her last class let out, Yukina fled from school at a run and didn't stop the whole way home. She slammed the door behind her and kicked her shoes off with a growl.

"Whoa, you ok, kid?" Shizuru had come into the kitchen to see what the noise was all about and obviously saw the look on Yukina's face.

"I need advice, Shizuru!" she stated without hesitation. By now, Yukina knew Shizuru was the one to go to in matters pertaining to Kazuma.

"Let's get you a cup of tea and you can tell me all about what's bothering you," Shizuru calmly walked around the kitchen island and put the kettle on the stove.

A little while later, they were sitting on the couch, face to face with their legs crossed, holding their cups of tea.

"Something happened today," Yukina began, "And it bothered me very much."

She related the entire story, including Kazuma's expression before she'd run away...and by this time she was crying jewels onto the couch cushion.

"Oh, honey," Shizuru said, sounding sympathetic but not worried, "That feeling that you felt, that anger, that's called jealousy. You may not realize how much you really like my baby brother, but I think it runs deeper than you think. You don't want anyone else to have him, do you?"

"If it made him happy..."

"Bullshit."

"Ok...you're right...I have this crazy feeling when I hear this stuff and when I saw that today...like I want to..."

"Beat the shit out of those girls?"

"Not really, well TODAY I wanted to, but usually I just want to shout at them that he doesn't want to be with them, he wants to be with me."

"Bingo, kid," Shizuru smiled, "You got it. That's you have to do."

"What?"

"You're so shy, Yukina, and you have let those girls think you're a weak, helpless, innocent little girl. You have to show them they're wrong and that you won't let them have your man without a fight."

"My man..."

"Well, he is, isn't he?"

"I...yeah, I guess he is after all."

"Then you have to make that very clear, and you have to put those girls in their place. Kazuma would never hit a girl, but what that girl did today is called sexual assault and they shouldn't get away with it. You may have to stand up to them and let them know that is way out of line."

The front door opened and they cut off their conversation and brushed the tear gems in between the couch cushions to hide the evidence of their heart to heart.

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Lunch the next day was uneventful except for a few comments by Risa's crew about "trying him again" after school when Yukina wasn't around. The joke would be on them though, because Yukina had no plan to go home early that day...

Yukina waited out at the front of the school, keeping out of sight behind the bushes lining the sidewalk. Soon enough, the seniors began pouring out of the doors and she waited patiently, knowing Kuwabara and Risa's crew were setting up stage stuff again for the last period so they would be among the last people out of the school.

Finally, Kazuma emerged from the doors, looking tired and annoyed. Risa was close behind.

"So, Kazuma, did you think about my offer?" she asked, her voice dripping with suggestion. Yukina stayed put, wanting to hear his reply.

"I told you, Risa," Kazuma grumbled, rolling his eyes and turning to face the group of girls. "I'm not interested."

Yukina's heart relaxed at his statement. He was so loyal.

"I could sweeten the deal, sugar," Risa approached confidently, her hips leading the way and her eyes filled with pure seduction, "I have two perfectly willing ladies here who are totally comfortable with sharing. You hear what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I hear you," Kazuma gulped, stepping back, "But, I told you, I'm not interested."

"I think you are," Risa insisted, making up the distance between them and then some, they were practically chest to chest, "Your tongue says no, but your eyes say yes...and so does this."

Her hand shot out so quickly that Yukina was confused for a moment as to what happened until she realized where Risa's hand had grabbed. Kazuma gasped loudly and his eyes closed tightly, he went to step back but Risa held on tight and he winced and stayed still. Yukina knew it was time to act, she stepped out of the bushes and glared at Risa with all the hatred and anger she could put into her face.

"Oh, look who it is," Risa laughed.

"Get your dirty hands off of him," Yukina said, her voice as threatening as she could make it.

Risa's face changed slightly, a look of shock flitted over it before being replaced with amusement.

"Oh, sweetheart," she said, her tone condescending, "How exactly do you plan to make me?"

"Let him go or you'll find out," Yukina summoned just enough of her energy to create a chill wind that she aimed directly at Risa. It worked, Risa yelped and her hand yanked back and she stepped away from Kazuma who let out a relieved sigh.

"Come on, Yukina," he muttered, taking a gentle hold of her arm and tugging her, "Let's go, she isn't worth it."

Yukina glared at the bold girl for another moment before she spun on her heel with a huff and allowed Kazuma to lead her away from the school towards home.

"Remind me never to make you angry," he joked when they were out of ear shot of the three girls, "That was pretty awesome, but I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that look!"

"Well, I had to do something," Yukina replied unhappily, "You sure weren't going to."

Kazuma stopped suddenly and looked down at her with a hurt look on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, "You don't think I want anything to do with those three, do you?"

"No, I don't," Yukina assured him, "But I know your code and you would never hurt a girl. I have no such code and if she ever tries anything like that again, I'll be doing more than freezing her hand next time."

"She's always been a shameless flirt, but she's never gotten that grabby before," he admitted, "Just the last couple days all of a sudden. But, Yukina, I don't want you getting into a fight over me, I'm not going to give her what she wants, you know?"

"I know, I do. But what she's doing is wrong and it isn't right that boys can't fight back against a girl."

"Just don't get any fights over me, babe," Kazuma requested, "I don't want you getting hurt over something like this."

Yukina sighed but didn't agree to anything, she just continued walking towards home.

"I don't know if my threat was enough," she admitted to Shizuru later that night, they were sitting on Shizuru's bed with bottle of nail polish scattered around them. Yukina stared down at her freshly painted toes and sighed.

"Well, maybe you need to let her know that he's off limits," Shizuru said calmly, "Let her know beyond any doubt that you aren't going to put up with her shit. I can't believe she did that today...what a dirty skank."

Yukina didn't know what a skank was but it sounded accurate so she nodded in agreement.

"Kazuma wasn't happy about it either," she reported, "I wish he would forget his code for a second because she deserves to be smacked."

"Indeed, but you know he won't," Shizuru blew out a smoke ring, "That's just how he is."

"So, should I punch her in the face?" Yukina asked, serious as could be. Shizuru laughed and shook her head.

"Not until you absolutely have to," she advised, "I think you should take my advice from yesterday and SHOW HER he's not up for grabs, no pun intended."

"How?"

"Are you guys touchy at school? I mean do you LOOK like you're a couple?"

"We sit together at lunch and he hugs me when we have to go to class," Yukina offered.

"Oh, well then, there's your problem," Shizuru said with a shrug, "That sounds more like a best friend than a boyfriend. You have to show that bitch that he's not just a pal."

Yukina thought about that for a moment and nodded.

"So I should kiss him in front of her?"

"That's more like it, girl."

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Yukina poked her sandwich unhappily, it tasted really gross today and she was waiting for Kazuma to arrive from his helping the theatre department again. Finally she heard the theatre group coming down the hall towards the lunchroom and she looked up with a smile on her face as Kazuma walked through the door, but her smile faded when she saw the look on his face and the nasty smirks that Risa and her crew were wearing on their lips.

"Hey, babe," he greeted her as he sat down across from her, "How's your day?"

"Mine is fine, but you don't look so happy," Yukina commented.

Kazuma shrugged, his eyes flicked over to Risa and quickly back down to the table.

"What happened?" Yukina asked, her voice left no room for him to avoid her question and he looked up with a sheepish expression.

"The whole crew is a little more hands on than usual today," he said simply, "Let's just say...they really made painting scenery into a possible sexual event."

"Do I need to kill them?" Yukina asked, and she was serious. She was a demon, after all...she could do it in a heartbeat.

"What? No!" Kazuma knew she wasn't joking around, "The teacher saw it all, so I don't have to help out on set anymore and they all three have detention."

"Well, that's a start but..."

Yukina looked over and saw that detention was not going to persuade Risa and her crew to change a single thing...it was the perfect time. The lunchroom was nearly empty with the exception of the theatre kids and Risa's attention was totally focused on Kazuma.

Yukina hesitated for a moment longer and then took a breath, standing up quickly with a determined look on her face.

"Whoa, are you alright?" Kazuma asked in surprise, looking at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"I'm just fine," Yukina replied sweetly, making her way around the table. "Scoot your chair back from the table, please."

Kazuma obeyed immediately, pushing against the floor making his chair scoot loudly against the floor as he turned it to face her and give her plenty of room...she had the idea he knew what was coming.

Yukina winked at him and stepped right up to him, placing her hands on his knees and pushing them closer together so she could kick her leg over them and sit on his lap, facing him and grabbing the hair on the back of his head gently, the other hand gripped the front of his shirt firmly and she leaned into him, latching onto his lips firmly and determined.

She heard him gasp in surprise at her bold move, but he sure didn't fight it. He reciprocated with enthusiasm and gripped her hips with shaking hands, pulling her closer into his lap than she already was.

The lunchroom fell into complete silence as the scene unfolded and Yukina knew there was no doubt Risa and her crew were watching this happen. Soon enough though, it became less of a display and more fun for Yukina...she decided she wanted to do this a lot more often and not just to prove a point!

"Yeah! It's about time!" Yukina had completely forgotten that Keiko was part of the theatre group and she smiled into Kazuma's lips at the sound of their friend's voice. Kazuma gave Keiko a thumbs up without even stopping their intense kisses.

"All right, that's QUITE enough!" a voice shouted above the cat calls that had broken out after Keiko's cheer and Yukina felt a hand pushing her and Kazuma apart and she looked up to see one of the teacher's glaring down at them in distaste...she didn't recognize the teacher, it must have been one of Kazuma's. "The two of you, get off eachother and follow me. The Head Teacher will hear about this."

Kazuma just grinned as Yukina reluctantly dismounted his lap and he stood up without even looking concerned at being caught, she admired his confidence and she squared her shoulder as well. After all, she had nothing to be ashamed of.

They walked together towards the door and as they passed Risa's table, Yukina met her eyes with a threatening look and she whispered as she passed: "Hands off, bitch."

Kazuma heard the whispered threat and he smiled at Yukina's sweet little mouth saying such a word...but she had just proved that her mouth really wasn't as innocent as he'd thought.

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 **There you go, hope you liked it :) I figured it was time for Yukina to experience jealousy...and for Risa to be hated by everyone because I sure hate her and I'm the one who created her!**

 **Review and let me know who you all feel about the future of this story. Should we go the lemon route or shall we keep it clean? You decide :)**


	10. Kuwabara Saves the Day

**Sorry this is a little late but the past week has been really busy with work, trying to get some sleep, visiting family, etc.**

 **But I have a little spare time so here's another chapter :)**

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"Have you thought about what you want to do after graduation?" Shizuru asked her brother as they sat around the table for dinner one evening.

Kuwabara poked the pork on his plate with a frown and shook his head after a moment's hesitation.

"I mean, yes, I have thought of it," he corrected himself, "But I haven't really decided."

"Well, you better start getting your shit together and thinking about college," Shizuru said firmly, "We had an agreement, Kazuma."

"Actually, our agreement was that I stop fighting and finish high school," Kuwabara reminded her, "Don't worry, I won't just be a bum...but I just don't quite know where I'm gonna fit into the world yet. I can't imagine working in an office all my life or being a teacher."

"I thought you were interested in being a scientist?" Yukina piped up, remembering his fascination with the subject from a few years back.

Kuwabara rolled that around in his mind but then shook his head.

"No, I don't think so," he replied sullenly, "I like science but I don't think I'm smart enough to make it a career."

"You're incredibly smart, Kazuma!" Yukina defended him quickly, "Why do you always say such things?"

"She's right, little bro," Shizuru agreed, "You have to make a choice and stick to it, no matter what it is."

"I'll think about it, ok?" Kuwabara was tired of thinking about it, the thought that he didn't know where his future was headed made him a little sick to his stomach, "I'll figure it out."

The girls exchanged surprised looks at his dismissive tone and the dinner continued in silence.

Later that night, Yukina and Kuwabara sat in her room doing homework. Yukina was writing historic dates and events on note cards to use as flash cards, Kuwabara was intently reading a section of his textbook about Japan's economy.

"I really love learning about human history," Yukina spoke up, feeling stifled by the silence their intense studying was causing.

"I bet it's a lot different than demon history, huh?" Kuwabara said in reply, glad for a reason to look up from the page he'd been re-reading several times but not comprehending. His mind was full of questions about his future. What _was_ he going to do for a job? Where would he go after graduation? Would he be able to find his own place and be a responsible adult? Would Yukina want to go with him? Would he follow a career path even if it meant leaving Yukina behind?

Yukina was saying something about demon history; the name of Yusuke's ancestor, Raizen, brought him back to the moment.

"Kazuma, I know you didn't hear a word I just said," she giggled, giving him a knowing look.

"Sorry, baby," Kuwabara sighed, "I just...really need to do what Shizuru said and start thinking about where I want to be in a few years."

"You will," Yukina assured him, "You are very determined and hardworking. I know you will figure this out."

Kuwabara nodded grimly, trying to believe her words.

"Maybe you need to think more about what you can do with the special abilities you have," Yukina offered, "You can do much more than a normal human."

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The next morning, Kuwabara and Yukina walked to school together as usual, laughing and chatting as they went.

"It sure is hot out these last few days," Yukina complained, wiping beads of sweat off her face. She summoned a gust of icy wind to cool the air around them, if only for a brief moment until the stifling heat wisped it away.

"That's for sure," Kuwabara muttered, nudging the dry, burnt grass that protruded from the sidewalk crack with the toe of his shoe, "Reminds me of that week when Urimeshi was a ghost and they had all those fires in town."

Yukina was about to reply when Kuwabara's entire body went stiff and his head whipped to the left, his eyes squinted in intense focus. She knew that look...he was sensing something strongly.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, not wanting to distract him too much. He cocked his head slightly, like a dog listening to a far away sound and he took a deep whiff of the air. Yukina looked in the direction he was facing and she gasped when she saw the thick cloud of black smoke rolling over the rooftops several blocks away.

"Fire," he replied suddenly, his eyes shot open wide, "And someone is still inside the building!"

"Come on!" Yukina cried and they started running, Kuwabara easily taking the lead. He skidded around a corner and almost collided with the crowd of onlookers who were watching the engulfed building with morbid interest. Yukina caught up a moment later and he took her hand, pulling her with him as he pushed their way through the crowd.

Several firefighters were manning the hoses, but Kuwabara's focus went to the line of men holding onto a line that disappeared into the multi story building, he knew there were rescuers on the other end among the flames.

"Pull them out!" the fire chief demanded to the men on the line, "Everyone is accounted for."

"No, no, no," Yukina looked up to see Kuwabara muttering to himself, his eyes wide with horror, "No, someone is in there. I can sense them, their fear is so strong I can almost literally hear them calling for help!"

"You have to tell them!" Yukina insisted, pushing him forward encouragingly.

"How am I supposed to explain how I know?" Kuwabara worried, "They won't believe me!"

"You have to try!"

Kuwabara looked at her for a second and then nodded, he pushed one more crowd member aside and ran up to the fire chief.

"Sir, someone is still in there!" he informed the firefighter, "I know you think everyone is out, but there's someone in there."

"Who?"

"I...don't know...I just know he's in there," Kuwabara stated lamely.

"And how do you know?"

"I just...do, ok?" Kuwabara knew where this was going...he didn't believe him. "You have to believe me!"

"Look, kid, we cleared the building," the chief insisted, obviously not having any of Kuwabara's statement, "I am responsible for the safety of my firefighters first of all. That fire is getting way too out of hand and I am pulling them out. No one is left in there so get back behind the line and let us do our job."

Kuwabara wanted to argue, but another wave of desperation flooded his mind and he grimaced from the sensation of utter fear. He could tell that the energy was weakening and there wasn't much time left. Another desperate scream for help pierced his senses and his clenched his fists in determination and he ran...ran straight into the burning building. He heard a few alarmed yells and felt a few hands brushing on his arm as they attempted to grab him, but he was determined.

The smoke hit his lungs like a brick and he coughed violently for a moment before he remembered what they always told them in safety classes when he was little, stay low and go under the smoke. Nodding to himself, Kuwabara dropped to the floor and began Army crawling towards the direction the sensations were coming from.

He felt the heat from the flames rolling over his skin and he focused his spirit energy on making a protective barrier between him and the flames, saving as much energy as he could in case he truly needed it.

"Hey!" he yelled as loud as he could in the heavy air, his lungs felt like they were full even thought he was under the smoke now, "I'm comin' for you! Make some noise!"

Nothing. The only sounds were the crackling and roar of the flames. Closing his eyes, Kuwabara focused on sensing the person's energy. It was faint, scarily faint, time was running out but he was very close now to the location.

Turning to the right, Kuwabara came to a large hole in the floor of a bathroom. He carefully went to the edge and looked over, his heart leapt with relief when he did. There was a man, he looked around late forties in age, huddled in a bathtub that still contained some water. Kuwabara figured he'd crawled in the water when he became trapped, hoping the rescuers would find him, but the floor had caved in and his head had collided with the porcelain lip of the tub and knocked him out cold. No wonder they hadn't seen him or heard his calls for help...his pleas were all subconscious.

"How do I get down to him?" Kuwabara wondered, but he knew it made no difference, he had to go. He turned to let his legs into the hole first and dropped down to the floor beneath next to the tub. Thankfully, the smoke was thinner down here, but he felt sick to his stomach when he looked up and saw the ceiling two floors above starting to crumble, chunks of hot wood were dropping down around him. Without a second thought, Kuwabara pulled the man up and put his arm around him to hold him up.

Now...how to get out?

"Think, Kuwabara, think!" he begged himself, his eyes flitted around to take in the scene and search for a potential escape. "Ok...ok...let's try this. Spirit sword!"

Summoning his trusty sword, he took hold of it by the blade and shoved the hilt under the man's shirt, making sure the material was tented over the end sort of like a flagpole. He stabbed the blade into the floor and gauged the distance.

"Sword, get long," he whispered, trying to control the ascent. He sighed in relief when the sword elongated, lifting the man by his shirt up to the opening above, bending with Kuwabara's will and gently dropping him on the floor at the top. "Perfect!"

Kuwabara grabbed the hilt when it shrunk back down and let it lift him up as well. He crouched next to the man and gathered a lot of energy to form a protective bubble around them and started towards the way he'd come.

"Oh no!" the way was blocked, the ceiling had caved by the doorway. Desperately, he looked around for an alternate exit. There! A window in the next room that led out the side of the building! Grunting with the combined effort of breathing through smoke, carrying the man and focusing his spirit energy in a way he wasn't used to, he made his way towards the light.

"Almost there, man, you're gonna be alright!" he encouraged the unconscious man at his side with his mind.

Finally, the window was in front of them. It felt to Kuwabara like he'd been in the building for days, years...time had no meaning in the middle of an adrenaline haze. The glass was already broken from the window so Kuwabara kicked the frame and made the opening complete then he removed his shirt to lay over the window sill to protect them from the shards of the shattered panes, he then lifted the man over the window sill and out onto the grass. Kuwabara grimaced at the _thump_ of the man hitting the ground limply, but he couldn't have done it much more gracefully than that so he simply pulled himself through the window and dropped down to the ground.

"There! Oh my god, there's two people over here! They just came out the window!"

Kuwabara felt a sense of relief flood over him and he felt his legs begin to shake as the adrenaline wore off, suddenly his lungs ached beyond belief and he felt light headed...last thing he saw was Yukina's frightened face as she came around the corner of the building, then everything went black.

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Offensively bright lights flooded Kuwabara's vision as his eyes fluttered open and he immediately squinted them closed again with a groan, and then that groan made him want to cry because his throat felt like he'd swallowed razorblades and his chest felt as if it was going to burst open.

"Kazuma!" Yukina's voice made all his pain disappear for moment as it was overpowered by his excitement to hear her there with him. He forced his eyes open against the pain of the lights above him. He turned his head to the right and smiled when he saw his angel of a woman sitting next to his bed in a large green chair. He opened his mouth to ask where he was but her hand shot out and covered his mouth forcefully. "Don't speak. You breathed in a lot of smoke and you have a lot of burns. Oh, my...your eyes are really red too."

Kuwabara closed his mouth and tried to figure out what was going on. It all flooded back to him in a split second. Right...he was in a hospital.

" _We can talk this way,"_ Kuwabara heard Yukina's voice clearly in his head and he saw her face in his mind. " _That way you can close your eyes and not have to speak. I can feel how bad you're hurting."_

 _"Why didn't you heal me?"_ Kuwabara responded.

 _"There were so many humans,"_ Yukina replied, _"They all demanded you go to a hospital.I didn't know how to explain my healing to them."_

 _"Good point,"_ Kuwabara admitted, _"This really hurts."_

He heard Yukina shift in her chair and his skin twitched slightly as her hand connected to the bare skin of his chest.

 _"I will call for the human healer. He said you will need medicine for the pain when you woke up."_ she informed him, giving him a few gentle pats before walking off somewhere.

Kuwabara laid there in silence, not daring to move and make the pain flare up again. He heard footsteps and felt a hand on his forearm, heard the doctor inform him he was giving him some sort of pain medicine in his IV and then he began to fade from reality once again when it started working.

When he woke up again, it was night time and the room was lit with dim lights, the harsh overheads lights were off. Sighing, Kuwabara opened his sore eyes and took a good look around, he looked to the bed on his right and was shocked to see someone familiar laying in it. The man he'd rescued. And the man turned his head to meet his gaze.

"About time you woke back up," the man croaked, his throat had obviously been affected that same way Kuwabara's had from the sound of it. "You've been knocked out ever since that cute little green haired girl left three days ago."

"Three days?" Kuwabara realized he could actually speak now and he blinked to find his eyes less sore and his vision much improved. "I've been sleeping for three days?"

"That's what happens when you nearly kill yourself to save an idiot trapped in a bathtub," the man chuckled grimly, "Seriously, kid, what the heck were you thinking?"

Kuwabara considered what he should tell him. Would the man believe the truth?

"I know what happened," the man interrupted his thoughts, "It was like I saw the whole thing in an out of body experience. You...what are you?"

"I'm just a human," Kuwabara replied truthfully, "I'm...wait...what did you see?"

"You had a glowing dome over you to keep the flames off," the man said confidently, "And there was a golden spear thing that you used to lift me out. And you were speaking to me...but not using your voice."

"And you believe that?"

"I know what I saw. I watched you carry me out of that building."

"You must have some psychic abilities of your own," Kuwabara mused out loud, "That's what I am. I'm a psychic and that golden thing was a sword made from my spirit energy."

"Spirit energy?" the man was very interested.

"Man, I can't believe you aren't freaking out," Kuwabara said, curious about the man's calm demeanor.

"I did at first when I woke up and saw you here," the man admitted, "But that girl told me I had actually seen what I thought I did. She told me to ask you about it when you woke up."

"It's a long story," Kuwabara admitted, feeling odd about talking so nonchalantly about this stuff.

"We have several days left together," the man shrugged, "My name is Ryuu."

"Kazuma. I'd shake your hand but mine is kind of burnt."

Ryuu laughed and then coughed a few times. Kuwabara explained humans with spiritual energy to him and then moved on to the Spirit World...last of all came the Demon World and the now open barrier between their worlds.

"So...demons are everywhere?" Ryuu asked, wide eyed, "Like anyone could be a monster walking around town?"

Kuwabara winced at the word monster.

"Technically, yes," he admitted, "Demons have the potential to be monsters. But...my three best friends are demons. Well, two demons and a half demon."

"Really?" Ryuu asked in awe, "And they don't eat you?"

"Only specific kinds of demons eat humans," Kuwabara corrected him, "The majority of them are...pretty normal."

"Are your friends going to visit?" Ryuu asked, "I'd really like to meet a demon and see for myself."

"You already met one," Kuwabara informed him with a grin, "My girl, the one with the sea foam colored hair, she's a demon. An ice apparition."

"Her?!" Ryuu looked shocked, "She was so sweet and kind! Demons are like that?"

"Not all of them," Kuwabara admitted, "The majority of them are pretty standoffish and grim. Or very wise and calculating. Did a tall guy with bright red hair or a really short guy with spiky black hair, or a punk with a sarcastic attitude come by?"

"Two of them. The red head and the snarky one."

"The red head is a demon. The snarky one is half demon."

"Wow...that is crazy! They were both so normal."

Kuwabara smiled, but he was starting to feel sleepy again.

"Hey, Kazuma," Ryuu's voice was quiet and thoughtful, "I really want to thank you for doing what you did. I'd be dead right now if not for you. If a psychic hadn't been walking by...well..."

"Hey, man, it was no problem," Kuwabara assured him, "I live by a strict code. I could never walk by and let someone die."

"You'd make a really good firefighter, Kazuma."

The words sunk into Kuwabara's brain like a death plant sewn in an open wound. It stuck fast...and started to develop quickly. A firefighter...part of a fire and rescue team...a job that would allow him to use his abilities to help people. A job that his skills would be perfect for. Between his spirit awareness and his physical strength, it was the perfect career choice!

He couldn't wait to tell Shizuru and Yukina...he'd just found what he wanted to do after high school. Smiling happily, Kuwabara let his eyes flutter closed and he was soon fast asleep with images of saving lives filling his dreams.

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 **This was an odd chapter. I got to thinking of what Kuwabara would do with his life since the others had plans and responsibilities...and this seemed perfect! What do you all think?**

 **Review :D**


	11. Hiei's Unexpected Visit

**To my old readers and my new ones, thank you so much for your feedback and interest in the story.**

 **Still looking for any prompts or chapter ideas and would love to hear from you!**

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"A firefighter, huh?" Shizuru asked in her usual dull tone.

Kuwabara had recovered from his ordeal fairly quickly once Yukina felt free to use her healing powers at the hospital after she met Ryuu, when the doctors and nurses were not in the room, she split her energy between the two men just enough to where they were improved quicker, but not quick enough to raise suspicion. Now he was back to his old, loud self and was annoying Shizuru as she tried to teach Yukina how to make ramen.

"Yep!" Kuwabara puffed out his chest and grinned, "I'm gonna go to the firehouse after school and ask them how to get started once I graduate next month."

"Well, that's good to hear, little bro," Shizuru said as she tasted the broth Yukina had prepared, "Oh, god, Yukina...that's horrible."

Kuwabara valiantly stepped forward and took a taste himself, opening his mouth to loudly voice his approval of her cooking in her defense...but he clamped his jaws shut quickly and gave Yukina a "sorry, she's right" shrug. Yukina sighed sadly and examined the recipe again to see what she did wrong, she then dumped the broth out and started again, determined to get it right.

"Really, Kazu, I am really glad to hear that you have a plan," Shizuru said, leaning on the counter with her arms crossed, her attention focused on her brother. "Remember though, you have to graduate. Get your ass upstairs and study, Yukina will come get you when dinner is ready."

"Ok," Kuwabara mumbled, grudgingly making his way upstairs.

Yukina had brought home all the homework his teachers had handed out the five days he had spent in the hospital and the pile of papers on his desk made his heart sink. This was going to take forever to catch up on! He didn't even look through the pile, he just grabbed the first group of papers on top: Geography.

Pouring over the text book, trying to memorize all the tiny countries in Europe, the time passed quickly and Kuwabara was so grateful to hear Yukina's footsteps coming up the steps. He answered the very last homework question and set the paper aside with a sigh. Five day's worth of one subject down, so many more to go...

"Kazuma," Yukina's voice from the doorway made him smile, "Dinner is ready? Did you get much done?"

Kuwabara stood up and joined her in the hallway and they made their way down the stairs.

"Not a lot, just Geography so far," he admitted, "I really don't feel like doing any homework right now to be honest."

"What _do_ you feel like doing?" Yukina asked, hoping she could help in some way to make his first day back from the hospital the best it could be.

"First of all, I want to eat your wonderful cooking," Kuwabara said, although he wasn't sure if he meant it once the smells from the kitchen assaulted his nose. "Then, I don't know, anything but homework."

They walked into the kitchen and Shizuru was already sitting and waiting, Yukina ushered Kuwabara over to sit across from his sister and insisted that she would be getting everything to the table. That being settled, she left the siblings at the table to go get the food.

"If you end up marrying her you better be prepared to cook your own meals or lose a lot of weight," Shizuru whispered when Yukina was out of earshot, "I'd feel pretty sorry for you considering how much you love to eat."

Kuwabara cocked an eyebrow at his sister but remained silent because Yukina returned, carrying a pot. She set it on the table and held her hands out for everyone's bowls and filled them with the ramen she'd made.

Kuwabara eyed the contents of the bowl warily, but the expectant look on Yukina's face told him she was waiting eagerly for his reaction to her cooking efforts so he took a deep breath and started eating...and immediately regretted it. It was horrible.

"How is it?" Yukina asked, her hands were clasped in front of her nervously as she waited for his reply.

Kuwabara looked up at her, his cheeks full of the terrible concoction, and attempted an approving smile..but he settled for a nod instead as he forced the terrible mix down his throat.

"It's great," he croaked.

"Oh, Kazuma, is your throat hurting again?" Yukina asked, surprised by his choked voice.

Shizuru was eyeing the bowl in front of her and she looked at her brother with a look that clearly said "I am going to get you for this" since Yukina had demanded to cook this for him as a welcome home thing.

 _"You owe me big time for having to put up with this,"_ Kuwabara heard his sister's voice in his head and he looked up in surprise, she usually didn't use her abilities this noticeably.

 _"I'm not really having a great time over here myself, sis!"_ he replied mentally, his lip twitched up in a sneer.

Shizuru was about to shoot back a reply but Kuwabara lost interest in his sister's complaining when he heard a sound he recognized with a lurch deep in his stomach, a soft _clink, clink_ from his right; he looked over and saw Yukina setting her bowl down, her eyes fixed on the table, tiny tear gems lay next to her chopstcks and more were forming on her cheeks.

"Oh...it's terrible," she said sadly, pushing her bowl away, she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her kimono, "I'm so sorry."

Kuwabara felt his heart squeeze uncomfortably at the sight of her tears, he hated to see her cry and he suddenly felt terrible for not being a better faker when she had asked how the food was. He reached over and pulled her into a tight hug, her face buried in his chest and she started shaking with silent sobs.

"Hey, now," he comforted her, "Don't cry, Yukina! It was really nice of you to try and cook. You'll get better, this is your first try cooking human food."

"Any food," Shizuru corrected, "She told me she's never cooked anything at all."

"See?" he continued, tilting Yukina's chin up so she wasn't hiding her face anymore, "You'll get better, I know you will."

Yukina sniffed and then smiled as she looked up at him.

"You're so sweet, Kazuma," she said softly, "You always make me feel better than I think I am."

Shizuru sighed and continued eating, even if it sucked it was all they had for dinner.

"Well, suck it up, you two. At least it's edible."

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After dinner, Shizuru insisted that Kuwabara finish at least one more entire subject of his homework before he did anything else so he made his way back to his room while the girls cleaned up the dishes and table. Sighing, he grabbed his science homework and sat down with a huff and tucked his pencil behind his ear as he leaned back and kicked his feet up on the desk to read the assigned chapters.

"We need to talk."

Kuwabara nearly jumped out of his skin at the unexpected sound of the all too familiar voice. He kicked away from the desk and spun his chair around, his eyes wide and frightened. Hiei stood in the center of the room, his eyes squinted angrily.

"Ah! Hiei!" Kuwabara squeaked, "What are you doing here? Are you still mad about that kiss? Are you really going to kill me this time?"

"Shut up, you idiot," Hiei shook his head in annoyance and gritted his teeth angrily, "I am not here to kill you. Not yet at least."

Kuwabara felt his shoulders relax a bit and he released the breath he was holding, but now he was very curious and he cocked his head slightly as Hiei continued to glare at him.

"You're mad about something..." he began to comment.

"Did you run into a burning building to save a complete stranger?" Hiei interrupted firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kuwabara just stared for a moment, confused, but then he nodded.

"That was a foolish thing to do," Hiei continued, "Why would you put yourself at risk like that? You could have died for someone you don't even know."

"Of course I would," Kuwabara snapped back, uncomfortable with the odd concern the demon was expressing, "And why do you care anyway? You don't even like me!"

"You're right, I don't," Hiei hissed, but then his face took on a look of unhappy acceptance, "But, for some reason that my mind cannot comprehend, my _sister_ does."

Kuwabara fell silent, suddenly understanding where this was going.

"You are not to do anything as dumb as that ever again," Hiei ordered, his hand flashed out so quick that Kuwabara didn't even see him move until his finger was directly in front of him, jabbing into his chest, "You are going to start eating healthy, you are going to take up running and regular exercise, you are not going to put yourself in any more dangerous situations like that. Ever."

"You can't tell me how to live my life!" Kuwabara growled, "I'm perfectly healthy and it's none of your business anyway!"

"It _is_ my business," Hiei insisted, "If you want to be with my sister, it is my business."

"Hiei..." Kuwabara sighed heavily, "Why are you so worried about me being healthy all of the sudden?"

Hiei squinted his eyes and Kuwabara got the feeling what he was about to say wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Because your lifespan is already pitiable and insignificant," Hiei replied grimly, "My foolish sister has chosen to love a human, but she doesn't realize how small of a piece of her entire life her realtionship with you will be."

Kuwabara felt those words cut him to the bone.

"Thanks a lot for the reminder," he grunted, swallowing his anger at knowing Hiei was right, "Once again you like to throw my humanity in my face. You think I don't think about that nearly every day? You think I don't know how unevenly matched we are?"

"If you truly knew then you wouldn't be so selfish to make her go through this," Hiei said darkly, his red eyes didn't flinch a bit at Kuwabara's angry retort, "When you die, your tiny life is going to effect the rest of her entire existence. I don't understand what she sees in you, but she has told me she loves you...and for an ice maiden, that is no small thing. She could live for thousands of years after you are gone but she will always be thinking about you and what she lost."

"I..." Kuwabara didn't know what to say. Sure, he always knew she would outlive him by a lot and that he would have to deal with aging while she stayed young and beautiful...but what Hiei was pointing out was something he had always tried to push to the back of him mind.

"You're selfish," Hiei snapped, cutting off his weak attempt to reply, "But if you two insist on remaining together, then you have a responsibility to live as long as possible. With your spirit energy, you have t potential to live a lot longer than a normal human, but it's still nothing in comparison to a demon's lifespan."

"Ok, Hiei, I get it," Kuwabara sighed unhappily, he felt his shoulder slump forward despite his effort to maintain confidence, "Do you think I don't know this stuff? It bothers me every day...I know I don't deserve her and I know you'll never think I'm good enough for her and I absolutely know I'm gonna die way before the rest of you."

"I didn't come here to make you feel more pitiful than you already are," Hiei grumbled, "I came here to tell you, if you insist on being with my sister, you had better not be taking any more dumb risks because I will be the one who has to pick up the pieces if you happened to get your stupid self killed."

Kuwabara remained silent with his hands clasped against his forehead as he leaned over, feeling defeated by Hiei's words.

"And I also came to tell you..." Hiei seemed to be forcing the words out between his teeth, as if he really didn't want to say them, "That...since my sister seems to think she wants you over anyone else...I...am giving you my permission to be with her."

Kuwabara's head shot up and he looked at Hiei in shock. Had he really heard that correctly?

"You...do you mean that?" he asked, my brow furrowed and he wondered if this was a trick.

"Yes," Hiei said grudgingly, "There is obviously nothing I can do or say to convince either of you this is wrong. Of anyone she could have had, why she chose you is a complete mystery...but she did and I cannot fight that anymore."

"She could have chosen worse, you know?" Kuwabara tried to convince the demon, "You know I'll always treat her right. You know me, Hiei, I would never hurt her."

"You may have my permission to continue your relationship," Hiei ignored his comment, "But you _do not_ have my permission to mate with her."

"Whoa now," Kuwabara held up his hands defensively, "THAT really is none of your business."

Hiei was across the room in a split second, his face so close to Kuwabara's that their noses almost touched. His red eyes burned with anger and his fangs were bared threateningly.

"If you get any ideas about it, I will deprive you of your ability to mate altogether," he threatened, his hand settling on his sword hilt to prove his point.

"I promise I will not force her to do anything," Kuwabara forced himself to remain as calm as possible under the terribly frightening gaze of the fire demon, "But she can make her own choices, you know. I won't refuse if she chooses that."

For a moment, Kuwabara regretted his words because Hiei's face went stone cold like it did right before he effortlessly slit someone in half during a battle...a look Kuwabara had seen many times before. But then the demon stepped back and fixed him in a thoughtful stare.

"I have no fear of that happening," he commented, "She would never want that."

Kuwabara felt his ego deflate and he glared at Hiei.

"Well, then that's up to her," he said quietly.

Hiei nodded quickly and hopped onto the sill of the bedroom window, preparing to leap out and be on his way.

"Hey, Hiei," Kuwabara called out before he could go, Hiei looked over his shoulder and went a little tense when he found the oaf smiling at him, "Thanks, man...for giving me your permission. It really means a lot."

Hiei felt something strange happen inside of him, a feeling of...affection? No, that wasn't possible, he felt nothing but distaste towards the oversized human. Didn't he?

"You're right," he said quietly as he bunched his muscles to jump, "She could have chosen worse."

Kuwabara stood in his suddenly empty room, completely frozen in shock at Hiei's parting words. Had he heard it right?

"Kazuma, I'm here to study with you," Yukina's voice brought him out of his shocked state and he vaguely wondered how long he'd stood there staring at the window. Turning to look at his girl with a smile, he had a feeling everything was going to be perfect.

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 **I really liked this chapter, I haven't had much Hiei in the story yet and he is very fun to write! There will be more Hiei in the future and obviously a lot more of everyone else as well.**

 **Stay tuned and please shoot your ideas or prompts my way! Input makes my life!**


	12. Shakespearean Tragedy

**I liked that last chapter so much that I am getting right to work on a new one :D**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Kudos go out to kuwayukifan91 for the chapter idea!**

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Yukina stood in the kitchen, drying the dishes that Shizuru handed her after washing them, wanting so badly for the chores to be done so she could go up and study with Kazuma. A knock on the door made both girls jump and Yukina set down the plate she was drying to go and open it.

"Hello, Yukina, is Shizuru here?" Kurama stood on the front step, looking suave and calm as always. Before Yukina could even answer him, Shizuru yelled that she was in the kitchen and Yukina just smiled and ushered the demon inside.

"Come on in, Kurama," Shizuru welcomed him from the sink, "What brings you here so late?"

"Hiei is in town," Kurama informed them, "He said he was going to have a long talk with Kuwabara. I figured I should be here in case things get out of hand."

"Why would it get out of hand?" Yukina asked in surprise.

"Because your brother kind of hates mine," Shizuru reminded her, "Well when he comes, he better knock this time. I swear he just appears inside and it's creepy."

Kurama laughed, but he didn't let them in on his secret: Hiei was already here and was already engaged in his conversation with Kuwabara upstairs.

"Excuse me, girls, I need to go and let Kuwabara know Hiei is coming," he said, needing to get upstairs so he could hear the conversation. He left the girls in the kitchen and went up to lean his ear against the door, listening to the conversation unfold.

A smile spread across his face when he heard Hiei's quiet comment before he left and he nodded, leaning away from the door. It had gone fairly well and he was glad there hadn't been any bloodshed. Satisfied, he walked down the stairs, passing Yukina on her way up, and went into the kitchen where Shizuru was wiping off the countertops.

"Hiei was already here, wasn't he?" she said, not really sounding like it was a question, "I felt him come in upstairs. Is Kazuma alive up there?"

"Yes, he most certainly is," Kurama assured her, "He very grudgingly gave Kuwabara his permission to be with Yukina. I am surprised, really, I thought he was going to go on another of his fruitless tirades about humans and demons not mixing."

Shizuru sighed, leaning onto the counter.

"This feels like a hopeless romance movie," she said grimly, "They're fine, but everyone around them thinks it will never work."

"We don't," Kurama offered, "However, they have two whole worlds against them. The human world will never accept Yukina and the demon world will never accept Kuwabara. They certainly are star-crossed lovers."

"Yeah, they have a few people on their side," Shizuru admitted, "I just hope they can ignore it all."

"So do I," Kurama agreed.

"You wanna hang out here for a while?" Shizuru asked boldly, "Those two will be studying up there all night."

Kurama looked at her with some surprise, but then he smiled and followed her into the living room.

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The next morning was a Saturday and Kuwabara was already awake and studying, trying hard to catch up on the mountain of homework on his desk; Yukina and Shizuru were in the living room eating breakfast as they watched the news.

"More alien spotting," Shizuru stated, her tone unimpressed, "In our world this time. Some demon must have been feeling like pulling a prank."

"Or eating someone," Yukina said sadly, "Will our worlds ever be able to handle living side by side? The demons know about human world, but why can't the humans know about ours?"

"Humans couldn't handle the truth," Shizuru replied simply, "Most humans think their world is the only one and that demons are just tales and that the Spirit World is just a story to keep people in line."

"Ryuu took it well," Yukina reminded her, thinking back to the day at the hospital when Kazuma introduced her to the man. He had accepted it easily and with great interest.

"But he also had already seen something unusual and unexplainable," Shizuru reminded her, "He was in a state of mind to be more accepting. The majority of humans are comfortable in this world and that is all they want."

"So they would react badly to a demon?" Yukina asked sadly.

"Very badly."

"My people would react badly towards Kazuma as well," the ice maiden sighed, "They hate male demons...I can't even imagine how they would feel about a human one."

Shizuru gave her small friend a sad smile.

"Kurama summed it up perfectly," she said, "You and Kazuma are star-crossed lovers, for sure."

Yukina blinked silently, not comprehending Shizuru's statement.

"What does that mean?" she asked, innocently, cocking her head slightly.

"It's...wait, you haven't heard that story, have you?" Shizuru remembered she was talking to a demon who was fairly new to the human world, "It's a line from a very popular human love story called Romeo and Juliet."

"A love story? I really enjoy love stories!" Yukina was very interested, "Is it a movie?"

"There are several movies," Shizuru informed her, "But the original story is a book, a stage play to be completely accurate. You should ask Kazuma to tell you about it, he probably knows it cover to cover."

Yukina was up off the couch in a flash, heading towards the stairs. Shizuru smiled as she watched her go, she had just pulled off another round of matchmaking without even trying very hard. Yusuke and his "Superior Cupid" title could suck it.

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"Kazuma!"

Kuwabara looked up from his math homework and blinked in surprise at Yukina's loud entrance to his room.

"Um...yes, my love?"

"I'm sorry," Yukina blushed brightly and covered her mouth with her hand, "That was very loud."

"It's alright, beautiful," Kuwabara chuckled and turned his chair around to give her his full attention, "What's on your mind?"

Yukina approached him quickly and sat sideways on his lap without ceremony, causing his eyebrows to raise in pleased surprise. Now that Yukina had gotten more comfortable with physical contact and expressions of affection she did things like this randomly, not that he would ever complain but it did make him uncomfortable sometimes for reasons he never let her know about...at least not at this point in their relationship. Even now he expected her to notice the obvious change in his pants...but she never seemed to be aware of it.

"Shizuru said you could tell me a love story," Yukina informed him.

"Uh...sure, I guess," Kuwabara was very confused, but he would never deny his lady anything she asked. If she wanted a love story, he would just have to make it up on the fly.

"She said there's a book," Yukina continued, "Called...Romeo and..."

"Romeo and Juliet?" he offered.

"Yes!"

"And she said I could tell you the story, huh?" Kuwabara had to admire his sister's support, "Well, I don't know it off the top of my head, but I can read it to you if you'd like. If you read it on your own, you might not understand it too well. It's written in a very old fashioned human world style."

"Ok!" Yukina grinned, excited by the idea of him reading a story to her. She had seen human parents do such a thing for their children and she found it very relaxing, she was definitely no child but she imagined the effect would be the same.

Kuwabara glanced back at his unfinished math homework and hesitated for a moment before patting her on the ankle in a motion to get up. She slid off his legs and plopped down on the bed, waiting for him to join her and read to her.

"Get up, silly," Kuwabara laughed, nodding towards the doorway, "I don't have the book here. We'll have to go to the library."

"What's a library?" Yukina was interested, anyplace she had never been before always excited her.

"It's a building where they keep books," Kuwabara explained, "You can go and borrow almost any book you want and bring it home, or you can sit there and read it."

It sounded fun.

"Ok, let's go!" Yukina was down the stairs before Kuwabara could even respond so he just smiled and followed after her. When he got downstairs she was already slipping on her shoes.

"Hey, Shizu, can I borrow your car?"

"Sure, but if you wreck it, I _will_ kill you slowly and painfully," Shizuru replied, "Key's are by the door."

Kuwabara grabbed the keys and pulled on his sneakers, stumbling out the door to keep up with his excited girlfriend as she headed for the car. He was determined to always open the car door for her.

"Thank you," Yukina said quickly as she slipped into the passenger seat. Kuwabara shut her door and went around to the driver's side and got in with her. They headed downtown to the town library.

"I can't even remember the last time I was here," he mused as he parked outside the building. He ran around to open the door for Yukina and she bounced out of the car with an expression of pure joy.

"This is a lovely building!" she squealed, eyeing the pillars with delight.

Kuwabara smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, ushering her towards the doors. When he held the door open for her and she walked in, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in amazement as she took in the sight of the dark wooden shelves filled to the brim with books of all colors and shapes. The stairs headed up immediately in front of them to an area brightly lit with natural light from overhead windows and large picture windows around and Yukina pointed out an area by a window overlooking a fountain. They made their way to the cushy looking couch that was by the window and they plopped down in it, both laughing quietly.

"Oh, Kazuma," Yukina breathed out softly, her voice sounding awed, "This place is beautiful. There are so many books! Have you read them all?"

"No way!" Kuwabara said in surprise, "I could never read all of these!"

"I want to," Yukina whispered, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Let's start with the one we came for," Kuwabara gave her a wink and pulled her up to her feet. He took her around and showed her the different sections of shelves and told her what types of books they held. When they reached the correct section, Kuwabara scanned the shelves until he located the title and pulled the small book down and handed it to Yukina to examine.

"Are we going to take it home or read it here?" she asked.

Kuwabara looked out at the reading area. Since it was a Saturday, most kids and teens were out having fun, not focusing on homework so the reading area was mostly empty with the exception of an elderly woman who was knitting near the non-fiction sections and a young boy doing puzzles in the center of the floor.

"What would you like to do?" he asked.

"I want to stay here," Yukina replied without hesitation, "I love it here."

"Ok, come on."

They took their spot by the window again, the farthest from the other people as they could get. Kuwabara sat with his back against the arm rest, one leg on the couch, the other foot he placed on the floor beside the couch to create a perfect space between his legs for Yukina to sit and lean back against him. Yukina immediately joined him on the couch, leaning back onto his chest, she tilted her head back to look up at him and she smiled brightly.

"Ready."

Kuwabara smiled back at her and opened the book.

"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene..." he began the story in a soft voice, as not to disturb anyone else in the reading area.

The story went on and Yukina's eyes scanned the pages in amazement as she read quietly along with him, she felt relaxed and happy and safe sitting there on that couch with Kazuma's deep rumbling voice in her ears. The young boy was still putting together his puzzle on the floor, but Yukina noticed the old woman had stopped her knitting and was listening to the story as well, her face had a soft smile on it as she examined the pair on the couch. Yukina smiled shyly at the lady and was glad when the lady nodded and smiled in return.

The story continued, the lovers spotted each other at the party, Romeo proclaimed his love underneath the balcony, Mercutio was killed, Tybalt was killed, families fought, and the lovers' lives ended in tragic death. By the end, Yukina had dropped a single tear gem onto her lap.

"What did you think of it, love?" Kuwabara asked as he shut the book and set it beside the couch.

"I fail to see how that is a wonderful love story," Yukina sniffed sadly, "They both died and their families were so hateful. Romeo killed her cousin!"

"Yeah, it definitely could have had a better ending," Kuwabara agreed, "But the point is they loved each other even though everyone else told them it was wrong. They knew it was right, and they loved each other enough to ignore their families plans and be with each other no matter what."

"We might not have it so bad after all," Yukina said softly, "At least your sister wants us together, and my brother told me he will allow it for now."

"We just have two entire species against us," Kuwabara reminded her quietly, not wanting to be overheard by the old lady.

Yukina took that statement in and the story suddenly clicked in her mind. She jumped up from the couch, making Kuwabara flinch at the sudden movement, and spun around to face him with a serious expression.

"That's right," she said sadly, "We have two entire species against us. That's more than Romeo and Juliet ever had! I'm so sorry, Kazuma, I'm sorry...this will never work!"

Kuwabara looked up at her in shock.

"What are you going on about?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

"Us," Yukina clarified, "We can't be together! We can't, it won't work, it never works! My kind and your kind...we just don't belong together!"

Kuwabarabara felt his heart sink and he felt his shoulders slumping more and more as she continued to make that statement over and over. She had no tears in her eyes, no sadness...all he saw was acceptance and a cold expression he immediately wished he'd never had to see. It looked to him as if her heart had frozen over.

"We can be friends but that is all we can ever be," she said, a final blow to his already breaking heart. He swore he felt it shatter to tiny, icy pieces as she said those words. Blinking back the tears that were forming in his eyes and swallowing the unmanly sob that was threatening to come out of him, he stood quickly and backed away from where she was standing, staring at the floor with her crimson gaze.

"But...Yukina..." he whispered, it was all his vocal cords would allow, "I love you..."

"We can't. It will only end badly."

Kuwabara let his eyes close, he clenched his jaw to keep from blurting anything out that he might regret. He wished he could sink into the floor right then and there and cease to exist.

"I'll walk home," Yukina's voice sounded like a scream in his ears. She was dismissing him. She wanted him to leave.

So he did. He backed away slowly, his gaze never leaving her form until he turned slowly to head down the stairs, his entire body began to shake in the effort of remaining upright and not completely breaking down in public. He scrunched his brows together and took a deep, steadying breath then he walked down the stairs and out the door. He managed to make it to the car before he completely broke down.

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Yukina felt everything. She felt his fear, she felt his shock, anger, and desperation...and she felt every bit of his pain. But she remained silent and still as a stone, not letting her heart react to the intense emotions flooding her entire being. She had to do it, she had to stop this thing in its tracks, humans and demons could not be together, she knew that now.

Kazuma would have to accept it. He would have to understand...they were only ever going to be doomed. Just like Romeo and Juliet, their relationship would only cause problems for those they loved and they would never have a happy ending.

Yukina felt a sob rising in her throat and she tried to swallow it, but she only managed to turn it into a choked gasp and she covered her mouth with her hand as her defenses fell and the feelings hit her like a lightning bolt. She sat back down on the couch, which was still holding onto Kazuma's familiar warmth, and she laid down to soak up the last of it as she cried silently, tear gems falling onto the cushion.

 _I'm doing the right thing. I am. Kazuma needs a human like him. Someone who won't cause more problems for him._

She repeated this mantra to herself over and over again, but it wasn't helping the sudden ache in her chest.

 _But if this is really for the best why does it hurt so much?_

Yukina felt a hand on her shoulder and she jerked in surprise and looked up to see the wrinkled face of the old lady looking down at her with an expression of pity.

"Dear, I would like to talk to you if that's alright," she said softly, "Come with me, the library is closing. Let's go and talk on the front steps."

Yukina vaguely thought that she should not go anywhere with a stranger, but she doubted an old lady could cause her much harm so she followed silently, wiping away another forming tear gem. The little boy doing puzzles followed them and Yukina assumed he must be there with the old woman.

The old woman brushed off a step when they got outside and sat down, staring out across the street towards the park. Yukina heard the door lock behind them so she sighed and sat next to the woman and waited in silence.

"Isn't that a beautiful sight?" the old woman sighed, causing Yukina to raise her head and look around.

"What?" she asked, not seeing anything in particular of interest.

"The sunset, dear," the old woman replied patiently, "When I first saw a Human World sunset, I knew right then that I would never get used to them."

Yukina now gave her full attention to the old woman and it hit her...a slight youkai. The old woman was a demon, an absolutely ancient demon.

"How long have you been in the human world?" she asked, curious now as to what this old demon's story was.

"I have been here for two thousand human years," the demon replied, "And I have seen millions of short human lives pass by me. I have seen them rise and fall and try and fail."

"Humans...are so fragile," Yukina sighed sadly.

"Yes...they have fragile bodies and fragile lives," the demon agreed, and she turned to fix Yukina in her golden gaze, "But never have I met a species with stronger hearts and more powerful abilities to love."

Yukina stared at the old demon in silence, knowing that she had more to say.

"I saw you and that human boy," the demon said seriously, "Do you love him?"

Yukina hung her head and sighed, nodding gently. Yes, she did. She had told him that, hadn't she?

"No, not yet you don't."

"What?" Yukina was surprised, "How do you know anything about me?"

The old demon met Yukina's gaze and considered her face for a long moment.

"Because I see myself in you," she replied in a whisper, "What are you afraid of? Why did you tell him the things you did?"

"Because...I realized the story he told me was true. Humans and demons can't be together like he wants...our people will never understand. He'll die and I'll live on and all we worked for will be nothing. Love just ends in death."

"That's true in a way," the demon agreed, nodding sagely, "Humans and demons alike will not understand and he will die long before you. But love is so much more than death."

"And you would know?" Yukina felt a bit nasty for her reply, but she was tired and cranky and brokenhearted.

"I would know better than anyone else," the demon assured her, "I fell in love with the Human World three thousand years ago when I finally made it out of Demon World...and I fell in love with a human not long after that."

Yukina regarded the lady carefully.

"Come," the demon demanded, "Walk with me."

Yukina stood and followed the lady and the boy into the park across the street.

"I fell in love with a human," the demon repeated as the boy ran ahead to chase a squirrel, "He was twenty four years old when I met him, back then the world was completely different. Humans hadn't discovered everything they have now, they were still hunters and farmers trying to figure out the world."

Yukina listened with interest, her love of human history stories making her want to hear more.

"But humans haven't changed much in two thousand years," the old woman chuckled, "He told me he loved me and did everything he could to show me what that meant. I thought he was funny, I thought he was kind and sweet...but I was a demon and he was a human and I would not allow myself to feel the same for him."

"You were smart not to," Yukina sighed, "It hurts so much."

"No, dear, I was a fool," the woman corrected her, "Because by the time I realized I could not fight my feelings forever, he was halfway through his life and people lived shorter lives back then. By the time I accepted his love and showed him love in return, he was getting gray hair. He died three years later of a terrible human sickness."

Yukina felt her tummy tighten uncomfortably, tears stung her eyes again.

"See?" she said sadly, "It wasn't worth it."

The old woman stopped walking and turned to face her, placing her hands on her arms and looking her deep in the eyes.

"Oh, you are very wrong," she said quietly, "It was, and is, worth every tear and every lonely night I have been through since. Because, my dear, to have loved him even for three short years was the greatest achievement of my life."

Yukina stared silently back at the old woman and blinked in surprise. The woman's eyes were brimming with tears, but her face was peaceful and her lips raised in a smile and Yukina knew there were memories flooding the old demon's mind, memories of the human she loved and lost.

"Don't you see, honey?" she whispered, "Humans love with everything they are, that boy is already connected to you so profoundly that he will never be able to completely let you go. Human love cannot be compared to anything else in all of the three worlds, there is nothing more powerful. To be loved by a human and to love a human in return is the greatest thing a demon can be a part of."

"But...he's gone," Yukina reminded the woman sadly, "Your human...he's gone. He was such a tiny part of your life."

"No," the demon shook her head and smiled, "He was the most important part of my life. The rest has simply been an existence. I know I will meet him again in my next life,so I live this life the best I can, knowing I will see him again and knowing he is waiting for me."

"Didn't it hurt you terribly to lose him?" Yukina asked.

"I have never felt such pain before or since," the demon admitted, "But the time I had with him was worth all of it. I know it would be the same for you...and you have the chance to love now while you are both young and have much time ahead of you."

Yukina fell silent and walked beside the demon until they came to the edge of the park which opened up to an empty field waiting to be developed by the city. The sunset was bright red now and the open field gave them both a great view.

"It's not too late, my dear," the demon said softly, "You know in your heart what is truly right...and what you told him is not it. You know deep inside that the opinions of those around you do not dictate your heart. Forget Shakespeare's ending, he always had a fascination with tragedy, you have to write your own ending."

Yukina felt hope rising in her chest. She wasn't the first demon who had gone through this and she probably wouldn't be the last. She recalled the tale of Yusuke's ancestor, Raizen, and his love the human woman...if they had not given in to their love then Yusuke would never have existed. Everything happened for a reason.

"Star-crossed lovers is not a bad thing as many people think," the woman's next words snapped her back to the moment, "It simply means two of the most unlikely people can miraculously cross paths in a massive universe. You have the choice to make the most of your meeting with this other star...don't let it pass by and mean nothing."

"You're right," Yukina breathed, feeling the massive weight on her shoulder lift, "You're right! Thank you. Thank you for sharing your story! I have to go and find him!"

"Just remember," the old demon clasped Yukina's hand between hers and smiled, "There are people, both demon and human alike, who WILL support and understand you. Not everyone is against you. Now go and make this right. Don't waste a single moment because time goes by so fast. I must go now, dear, I am taking this child home to his mother now, I am just his nanny."

"Thank you," Yukina said one more time, "May I ask your name?"

The old woman shook her head.

"My name is not important," she said gently, "You will not see me again."

And with that the woman began walking away, she called out to the young boy and the two of them left the park hand in hand. Yukina watched them go until she couldn't see them anymore and then she turned to look one more time at the sunset. It certainly was beautiful.

"I must get home," she whispered to herself. Home, she decided, was wherever Kazuma was. She turned and took off at a run in the direction her heart led her and, as she ran, she swore she saw a red string connected to her finger leading the way home.

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 **I meant this chapter to be longer but it's about 4,700 words already so...I think I'll just write another.**

 **kuwayukifan91, I took a few liberties with the demon lady and her tale to make things a bit more dramatic. I figure Yukina needed a moment that absolutely sealed her resolve, because Romeo and Juliet really doesn't encourage love and it could really shock a person who didn't understand it well.**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Hope everyone liked it!**

 **Hope I get more suggestions and reviews!**

 **Keep calm and sing Megallica songs, ya'll!**


	13. Sensation

**Starting this chapter, we'll see how much I get written before I have to take a transfer from the hospital several hours away...ugh, I despise transfers.**

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Yukina threw open the front door of the Kuwabara household and kicked her shoes off, taking off towards the stairs at a full out run, but when she reached the doorway between the kitchen and the hallway, she found Shizuru standing in the center of it with her arms crossed, a dangerous expression on her face.

"What did you do to my brother?" she asked darkly, Yukina felt her glare like a punch in the gut.

"Oh, Shizuru, I've made a terrible mistake!" Yukina cried, she made no attempt to get around the angry big sister. There was no point, Shizuru was strong and had no qualms about kicking butt and taking names. "Please, let me pass? I have to talk to Kazuma."

"I think you must have said enough," Shizuru said simply, "I don't know what happened because he just shut himself in his room and won't talk to me, but I haven't seen him like this since our mom died."

Yukina felt her gut twist at Shizuru's words and found herself wishing she could turn the clock back and never have said the things she did.

"I...I said some things I didn't really understand..."she tried to explain through her tight throat, "I never meant to hurt him, I just thought I knew better than him and..."

"Look, kid," Shizuru poked her finger into Yukina's chest, making her step back, "What the hell does he have to do to prove to you that he doesn't care about all that demon and human hatred stuff? Hasn't he shown you yet that it doesn't matter?"

"I know that now," Yukina said quietly, wishing she could shrink into the floorboards, "I truly do, Shizuru. I don't care either anymore. I want to stay in Human World, this is my home now. I want to stay with him even if it means I'm never allowed back to Demon World. Even if it means I have to watch him die in front of my own eyes someday...I want to be with him while I can."

Shizuru examined Yukina's face for a long time, neither of them speaking. Finally, Shizuru must have seen the truth in Yukina's eyes or mind and she stepped aside to let the demon past.

"This is the last chance you get, Yukina," she threatened, "I won't let you put him through something like this again. You need to decided and stick to it, not string him along and then keep threatening to cut the ties."

"I won't," Yukina replied honestly as she passed the older sister, "I promise, Shizuru."

Shizuru watched the small girl run up the steps and she sighed, walking back into the living room.

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Yukina took a steadying breath and raised her hand to knock on Kazuma's door, there was no reply. She knocked again.

"Please leave me alone, Shizuru. I can't talk about it right now." Yukina didn't like the sound of his voice, he sounded...exhuasted and defeated. She turned the handle and opened the door, stepping in and closing it behind her.

Kuwabara sat on the floor, his back again the side of his bed, his knees up to his chest, his hands laid over them and his chin rested on top of them. His eyes were closed and Yukina knew he thought it was Shizuru who had entered, she felt the shame and pain rolling off him in waves.

"Kazuma?"

The sound of her voice caused his whole body to twitch and his eyes opened, but they were focused on the carpet. Slowly, he looked up and Yukina very nearly turned and ran back out of the room. There was absolutely no emotions on his face, his eyes were blank and empty almost as if he had no soul behind them. He didn't say a word, didn't respond in any way other than looking at her.

"Oh, Kazuma..." Yukina whispered more to herself than him, and she stepped forward carefully as if she was dealing with a cornered wolf. She raised her hands and tried to think of what to do next, the only thing she could think of was the day she had played with his hair and how soft and warm it was so she reached slowly until her fingertips began to slip into the ginger layers. She was surprised at the speed of his movements as he jerked his head down and away from her.

"Don't."

Only one word, but it cut Yukina like a knife. She imagined suddenly what her words must have felt like to him, like dozens of daggers piercing his heart? She pulled her hands back to her side and stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

The room was eerily silent, the only sound was Eikichi's purrs as she rubbed her face gently on Kuwabara's elbow, trying to get his attention to cheer him up. The fact that he was ignoring his beloved cat caused even more concern for Yukina...it was like he was shutting down.

"Are you angry?" Yukina asked almost too quiet to hear. Kuwabara looked up at her again and she saw a spark of emotion, but it was just more pain.

"No." was the simple reply he gave, his voice sounded strained.

"I wish you would be angry," Yukina told him softly, "At least you would be reacting in some way I can understand."

Kuwabara closed his eyes again and rested his forehead on his hand, his fingers and thumb digging into his temples.

"What don't you understand, Yukina?" came his gruff reply, his voice sounded like he'd swallowed gravel, "A few days ago you tell me you love me...and now you tell me you don't...I just think you don't know what you really want."

Yukina remained silent, feeling he had more to say.

"I can't be angry...I can't feel anything..."

Yukina hung her head at his words, his usual cheerful, silly voice replaced by a dull, lifeless monotone.

"I hate to see you this way," she said, shuffling her feet.

"Then leave me alone."

Yukina fought the urge to bolt out of the room and she knelt down in front of him, resting her hands on her thighs. She focused on his face and waited for him to open his eyes and look at her.

"I can't," she whispered, "I can't leave you, Kazuma."

This got her the reaction she had hoped for, his eyes opened and he met her gaze. She winced at the redness of the skin around his eyes that she just noticed, he'd been crying very heavily at one point before this empty stage he was in.

"I can't," Yukina continued, "And I won't."

Kuwabara waited for her next words.

"What I said back at the library...I was scared. That story made me realize a fear I never focused on before, the fear of the unknown future. I was so afraid of how my heart would feel to lose you one day that I didn't stop to think of how you were feeling to be pushed away."

She took a deep breath and waited for his reply, but he didn't speak. His mouth was a tight line and his eyes were still blank and hurt.

"I...I realize now that...love is going to hurt sometimes," Yukina tried to fit her thoughts into the correct words, "You'll die, I'll be alone...but I think I see now...I'd rather love you while I have you than go my entire life without loving you and being loved in return."

Something changed in his eyes at those words, a faint spark of hope.

"But you said..." he began, "You said we would never work."

"I only said that because I was scared," Yukina admitted, "But I'm not scared anymore. I know now that all I want for this part of my life is come home to you here in Human World and give you all that I can while you live."

"Thanks for constantly throwing my short lifespan in my face," Kuwabara muttered.

"It's something we can't ignore," Yukina replied, sadly, "Kazuma...can you ever forgive me for the things I said? Can you ever trust me again? Can you believe that...I love you?"

Kuwabara hesitated a long time, his eyes scanning the carpet by her knees intently.

"I really, really, really want to believe it," he said softly, "It just seems...kind of wrong to trust you again so easily."

Yukina hung her head and began to form tear gems around her eyelashes.

"But I do trust you," Kuwabara continued, causing her to look up in surprise, "What kind of man would I be if I couldn't forgive you and give you another chance? I will always love you whether you love me back or not."

"I won't make the mistake of being afraid ever again," Yukina said, it sounded so loud to speak at a normal volume after such a long period of quietness. "I want to tell you right now, I love you and I realize now that it's more than a feeling, it's a choice. I choose you, Kazuma."

Yukina felt as if her heart would explode when Kuwabara's lips pulled up into a smile and he grabbed her, pulling her to his chest in the tightest, most secure and unrelenting hug she'd ever experienced. She felt his hand snake into the hair on the back of her head and she found her head pulled back gently a moment before she was being kissed roughly. She felt his frustration, the lack of confidence and the hurt...he was getting it all out in that kiss. Yukina had never felt anything like it before, this kiss felt angry and scared and sad all at once and his hand pressed her into him so close she felt she couldn't breathe...or maybe that was because she had forgotten to! She took a deep breath through her nose and pushed against his chest with enough force to send the message that she wanted his to stop, and he did.

"Sorry," he mumbled, his cheeks bright red as he looked off to the side to avoid looking in her eyes, "I didn't mean to..."

"Don't apologize," Yukina said with a smile, "I just forgot to breathe. I need to catch my breath."

They sat in silence for a little while, both wondering what was going through the other's mind. Yukina was scanning his face, trying to read his expressions, but he just continued to void meeting her gaze and she wondered why.

"Can you kiss me again?" she asked, breaking the silence and finally making him look at her.

"Anytime you want, baby," was his eager reply. Yukina smiled as his right hand came up to cradle the back of her head, his thumb tracing the curve of her ear, that simple touch felt so wonderful to her and she laid her head into his hand and closed her eyes. Kuwabara took the opportunity and leaned in to kiss her, gently this time.

Yukina savored the feeling of his lips on hers, such an intimate thing this kissing. Demons kissed too of course, but only pairs of sophisticated demons of higher classes; anything below D rank usually were mindless animals that treated each other like breeding stock. Yukina was so deeply into the sensation of the kiss that she let her face relax and her lips parted slightly...but her eyes shot open when she felt the unfamiliar slick feeling of tongue making its way through them. She pulled back in shock, her eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" she asked in alarm.

"I...just...I thought you wanted me to?" Kuwabara was flustered and blushing once again, his hand flew back to rub the back of his neck, a tell-tale sign of his nervousness, "You...opened your mouth..."

"I didn't know you were going to lick me!" Yukina said, not meeting his eyes. She felt his body shake as he laughed at her comment.

"It's just a different type of kiss, silly," he informed her, "I should probably have warned you, I guess. I forget you've never even kissed anyone before."

Yukina suddenly felt very shy and embarrassed at his words.

"You're right," she admitted, "Can we...try that again? What do I do?"

"Just...do what feels right," Kuwabara replied simply, shrugging to make his point, "You think way too much."

He was right, Yukina knew, she did tend to let her mind wander quite often. She was determine to focus this time and listen to what her body was telling her. She nodded that she was ready and their lips met again, slowly at first and building back up to that point that had made her jaw drop in the first place. This time, however, Yukina was focusing on what she felt and she was discovering a whole new sensation deep inside her that made her want to wiggle around and relieve it so she did just that.

Kuwabara almost broke the kiss when he felt Yukina wiggle on his lap, but he knew she hadn't done it on purpose so he continued, wanting to at least get past French kissing before they thought about anything else, he had to take this one step at a time and he was damn well not skipping any. He felt her lips relaxing and he gently ran his tongue along her bottom lip to test the waters, and he was pleasantly surprised when she opened her lips a little wider in invitation. That was all he needed.

Yukina gasped sharply at the feeling that shot through her entire body when Kazuma's tongue slid along her teeth, behind her top lip. It started at the root of her hair and traveled down the back of her neck and her spine like a shudder and curled around to pool warmly in the deepest part of her abdomen, causing her to squeeze her thighs together tightly. What was _that_? She tried so hard to focus on the kiss but the feeling inside her was making her want...more. She was shocked at herself when her own tongue shot out and took control of the kiss, her hands came up and firmly gripped his biceps in a vice-like grip, she raised up onto her knees and placed one on either side of his thighs as she tried desperately to get closer and closer to him. She was listening to her body like he told her to, and this is what it was demanding, she felt the need deep within her to connect as much as possible. Kazuma was making no move to stop her so she felt emboldened that she was doing the right things...until she settled into a wide straddling sit on the top of his thighs and began to wiggle and twist to relieve the feeling that had now made its way from her abdomen to between her legs. One particularly forward jerk of her hips made him grab her arms and push her back quickly, his eyes were closed, face flushed and his jaw slack as his breathing came in heavy, short gasps. Yukina suddenly realized she was breathing the same way.

"Whoa there, cowgirl," Kuwabara laughed lightly, his eyes were sparkling, the gray color of them was nearly lost in the black expanse of his dilated pupils.

"Did I do something wrong?" Yukina asked softly.

"No, no way," he assured her, "You're...doing everything right. Maybe _too_ right."

Yukina cocked her head in confusion.

"What you were going for needs to be for another time," he informed her, "I don't think you're ready yet. I don't even think you really knew what you were doing."

"Of course I did," Yukina defended herself, "I was kissing you and my body was telling me kissing wasn't enough. I wanted to be closer and closer."

"Oh, I know," Kuwabara assured her, "I know exactly how you feel."

Yukina finally realized what he was talking about when she felt a firm twitch underneath her thigh. Her eyes went wide in surprise and she scooted backwards and looked down at his lap.

"Oh, right," she said, sounding slightly weirded out. Curiosity got the best of her and she reached down to poke the now obvious lump in his jeans with her fingertip.

"Wha...don't do that!" Kuwabara laughed, pushing her hand away, "Get up."

Yukina curled her offending finger into her hand, making a fist and stoop up quickly. Kuwabara grunted a little as he stretched his back before standing up. He towered over her as usual and Yukina merely had to tilt her chin down slightly to get a new eyeful of his slightly tented jeans.

"Can I see?" she asked curiously.

Kuwabara cocked an eyebrow, seriously considering it for a second. But he shook his head and turned away from her to readjust and try to relax.

"Why not?" Yukina insisted, crossing her arms and letting her bottom lip pout as he looked over his shoulder at her.

"Because we just had a pretty bad day and we're all kinds of emotional right now," Kuwabara informed her, turning back around so she would take him more seriously, "What you want, what I want, right now...it's a very big choice to make. I want to make sure you're ready and not just riding on an emotional rollercoaster."

"So when would be a good time?" Yukina asked.

"Well...that's up to you," he assured her, "But I know for a fact it's not now. Not right after a fight...or whatever the hell that was today."

Yukina felt ashamed but she nodded in agreement, knowing he was right. Everyone, except for Yusuke, had told her that human mating was a very big deal, an emotional thing that could make or break a relationship, something that affected you deeply. She was in no state of mind to be making informed decisions about their relationship right now except that she wanted them to have one.

"Come on," Kuwabara put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side, "You can help me with some homework!"

Yukina giggled and sat down on the bed next to the desk as Kuwabara pulled his chair back up to the desk and picked out the next group of papers to complete.

"Kazuma?" Yukina piped up, suddenly remembering something she'd forgotten to ask.

"Yeah?"

"What's a roller coaster?"

"Oh my god..."

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 **Alrighty! Relationship is set completely, no more second guessing. Time to move forward :) Glad we got some closure on that.**

 **Read, review and let me know any further chapter suggestions you all would like to see!**


	14. Black Widow

**This chapter is a suggestion from kuwayukifan91, whom I believe is a psychic because she suggested something that I had been thinking of doing. Don't play Rock, Paper, Scissors with her because she probably has amazing spirit awareness and will beat you every time.**

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Kuwabara sighed in relief as he handed in his mountain of homework. He had to admit,it was good to be back at school and in a normal groove again. After his five days in the hospital and then the weekend, he'd been out an entire week...and things had changed a lot.

He and Yukina were sitting on the bleachers in the gym, waiting for the Head Teacher to make his statement. No one knew what was going on, but all the students had been paged overhead to gather here for questioning. Finally, the head teacher made his way to the podium in the center of the floor and scanned the student body.

"As you all know, Souji Kurohiko was not at school on Friday," he began, "I received a call from his parents that evening that he never came home that afternoon and has not returned since. This meeting has been called to ascertain if any of you students might know his whereabouts or anything that will help in the police search for him."

The room remained silent with the exception of a few coughs and throat clearings.

"Wait," Kuwabara whispered to Yukina, "Souji...he's in your class, right?"

"Yes," Yukina said, looking concerned, "He has not missed a day all year and is extremely dedicated to his work."

"This is weird," Kuwabara muttered, scanning the crowd of students. He saw Risa sitting with her crew at the very end of the bleachers...she was smiling, and it was not a nice sort of smile either.

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A few days later, Yukina was waiting for Kazuma in the lunchroom, letting her mind wander. Souji still hadn't returned to school and another boy from the Junior class had gone missing this afternoon.

"Don't think _too_ hard or you'll break your brain, baby," Kazuma's voice snapped Yukina back to reality and she looked up at him with a grin.

"I was just wondering about those two boys," she admitted, "It's kind of scary that no one knows what happened to them."

"Yeah, it's spooky," Kuwabara said, sitting across from her.

As Kuwabara gobbled down his lunch, Yukina scanned the room. Risa's group sat at their usual table and Yukina focused her mind on them to see if they were going to make any rude comments today. She noticed then that Risa wasn't with them, it was just the two blondes and a black haired girl who had begun to hang out with them a few days ago.

"How come Risa isn't here today, is she sick?" one of the blondes asked.

"I saw her before school," the black haired girl stated, "She wasn't sick at all."

"She must just be playing hooky," the other blonde said, not sounding at all concerned as she sipped her cup of apple juice.

Yukina wondered vaguely why Risa would skip school without a good reason, but she brushed the though aside. After all, why did she have any concern about Risa's choices?

Students began standing and leaving the cafeteria after a while and Yukina took Kazuma's hand and they left the cafeteria together, splitting up in the hallway to go to their separate classes.

After her last class, Yukina walked out the school's front doors and stopped in surprise. Kazuma was standing on the sidewalk with Yusuke and Kurama at his side. They were deep in conversation and all three looked very grim.

"Hey, you guys," Yukina greeted as she approached the trio, they turned their attention to her and returned her greeting, "What are you two doing here?"

Kurama crossed his arms and eyed the school building with a thoughtful expression.

"Botan has informed us about your school's missing students," he said in his normally calm manner, "We were told to come and check out the school. They believe these disappearances are demon related."

"Oh no," Yukina cried, her hand raising to cover her mouth.

"We wanted to ask Kuwabara and you if you've noticed anything weird about the kids who've gone missing," Yusuke spoke up.

"Well...they were both boys, that's the only thing they have in common," Yukina stated thoughtfully, "Do you think that's relevant?"

"It might be," Kurama stated, "But it could also just be a coincidence. If it is only boys going missing, then the victims are being carefully chosen."

"Come on," Kuwabara muttered, grimly, "Let's go check out the school like you wanted to, Kurama."

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"You found nothing at the school?" Botan asked unhappily, "Oh, this is frustrating."

Yusuke, Yukina and Botan settled on the couch to discuss the case and Kurama gently pulled Kuwabara's arm, motioning him to follow to the next room. Confused, Kuwabara followed the demon and stood with his arms crossed defensively once they were out of earshot of the others.

"You must not let Yukina walk home from school alone anymore until we solve this," Kurama pointed out.

"Of course not," Kuwabara said, looking annoyed, "I'm not an idiot, Kurama."

"I know," Kurama said with a nod, then he glanced into the other room where the three others were looking at a map Botan had laid out on the coffee table. "So what happened the other day between you two. Hiei seemed incredibly smug for several hours...he mentioned something about the two of you and then left in a hurry. Did you run into him at all?"

Kuwabara raised an eyebrow.

"No, I never saw him at all," he said, "Maybe Yukina did."

"Any idea why he was so delighted?" Kurama pushed.

"I have an idea..." Kuwabara muttered, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall limply at his sides, "Yukina and I...we kind of had a falling out the other day."

Kurama looked surprised.

"But you two seem just fine," he commented, "She seemed delighted to see you after school."

"We worked it out," Kuwabara assured him, "But...it was pretty bad."

Kurama listened quietly as Kuwabara retold the events at the library, nodding when he finished the story.

"So Hiei must have thought you two were over," he said simply, "The joke is on him though. I imagine he took off to assure Yukina she was right."

Kuwabara's hand balled into fists at that comment, wishing the short demon was around for him to punch in the face.

"I almost lost her, Kurama," he said darkly, "And Hiei was _happy_ about it?"

"You know Hiei truly cares for his sister," Kurama comforted him, "To Hiei, Yukina's choice to be in a relationship with a human is a mistake. The fact that the human is you just makes it harder for him because no one wants their sibling dating their good friend."

"Friend?!" Kuwabara laughed, "Hiei hates my guts!"

"No, he does not," Kurama replied honestly, "He respects you, Kuwabara, you've shown him over and over again your loyalty and friendship. Not even Hiei and can ignore that. You may not be able to see it, but he considers you a friend. Seeing you have a closer relationship with his sister than he himself has must be very hard for him."

"Yeah...I guess so..." Kuwabara sighed, "I remember how I felt when Shizuru would bring home her loser boyfriends. I wanted to pound them into the ground for even thinking they had a chance with her."

Kurama's face took on a strange look and his eyes flicked over to the doorway, it almost seemed like he was avoiding eye contact.

"Anyway," Kurama spoke up, changing the subject, "It sound to me like she'd finally come to a decision. I'd say you two don't have to worry about it anymore."

"She was so upset, Kurama," Kuwabara said sadly, "I just hope we are making the right choice here, I hope I'm not just being selfish and holding her back because I'm too afraid of losing her."

"Her fear is understandable," Kurama admitted, "And yours is as well...but life is full of frightening choices and our future is never certain. But it seems to me she has made her choice and learned her own mind. Love is greater than lifespans, my friend, any demon who loves a human has to understand that. Trust me, I know how Yukina feels...it would be safer for us to avoid it, but we would not be better off."

"Your mom?" Kuwabara asked softly, "You must feel the same way about her."

"Yes," Kurama agreed, "My mother...and..."

Kuwabara raised an eyebrow, wondering who else the demon had deep set emotions for, but Kurama realized what he'd been about to admit and shook his head.

"The point is, Kuwabara, that now the only thing you two need to do is live your lives to the fullest," he continued, again changing the subject, "You have to live every moment like it's all you have left. That is all we can do."

"I will," Kuwabara assured him, "I promise. And you better take your own advice. You have to give your mom all you can...and whatever other human you have on your mind."

Kurama felt a bead of sweat slip down his temple and he blushed.

"Ha, what do you mean? I don't have another human on my mind. Don't be foolish."

And, with that, the conversation was over. Kurama turned and quickly made his way into the living room to join in the conversation there, leaving Kuwabara feeling extremely lost and confused.

A loud beeping noise sounded as Kuwabara entered the living room and Botan flipped open her communication briefcase to reveal the face of Koenma.

"Koenma, sir," Botan let him know they were listening, "Do you have any new info on the missing boys?"

"I have more than info," Koenma said grimly, "I have terrible news."

The screen fuzzed and a picture popped up, making everyone gasp when they saw it. It showed a fuzzy image of what looked like a giant spider with a human torso, two of its long, spindly legs were wrapped around a teenage boy, the spider demon's fangs were inches from sinking into the boy's neck.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Yusuke yelped, backing up from the screen in horror.

"Local police have reported another boy missing from Kuwabara and Yukina's school," Koenma informed them, "His name is Yukio Enoki, his mother reported him missing when he didn't come home after school. Spirit World camera caught this image..."

"Spirit World cameras?!" Kuwabara shrieked, "You have spy cameras all over Human World?"

"I bet you spy on us all the time, you kinky little freak," Yusuke crossed his arms and squinted down at the screen.

"I...no...it's for human safety purposes only!" Koenma sputtered around his pacifier.

"What about that time you used it to watch girl in bikinis at the beach?" Jorge's voice came through the box and Botan looked annoyed at the statement.

"You traitor!" Koenma whispered off screen. A moment later he reappeared, looking composed, "Do not listen to the ogre. I came in and found him using the camera's for that purpose and stopped him, of course."

"You're a creepy littler pervert, Koenma," Yusuke laughed.

"That's not important!" Koenma shouted, "Listen to what I'm saying! Anyway, our cameras caught this image about an hour after the school let out. What you see in the image is a very particular type of demon, known to humans as a Succubus, but also known as Widows."

"Like a Black Widow spider?" Yusuke asked.

"Exactly," Koenma nodded, "Their sole purpose is to attract young males with their sexuality. Widows are usual very beautiful and outgoing, attractive to the average male human to the point of infatuation. They also release very strong hormones that attract even the males they can't attract by looks and sex appeal."

"So these boys..." Botan asked nervously.

"I'm afraid the first two who went missing are already dead," Koenma confirmed Botan's worries, "They only go after a new victim when they need to feed again. At the rate this demon is killing, she must be near to laying eggs."

"LAYING EGGS!?" Kuwabara's face turned a strange shade of green and he looked like he would be sick.

"Yes, like a spider," Koenma rolled his eyes, "I thought we established this."

"So you brought us all together to find this gross spider demon and kill it?" Yusuke asked with a sigh.

"Yes," Koenma replied simply, "I know you're not technically my Spirit Detective anymore, Yusuke, but you and your friends are the only ones able to handle this. These demons can be very dangerous."

"Fine, we'll take it out," Yusuke rolled his eyes, "But you owe me tickets to the Martial Arts World Championship for this one."

"Consider it done," Koenma agreed easily, "Botan, have you been able to find Hiei for this mission?"

Botan shook her head.

"Hiei has not been in contact with any of us for several days," Kurama backed her up, "I believe he has returned to Demon World for a while to visit Mukuro."

"Of course he would take a vacation when we actually need him around," Kuwabara muttered, earning him a dirty look from Yukina.

A voice came through the briefcase screen no one recognized and it was quiet so they didn't catch what was said, but Koenma was handed a paper which he scanned over quickly.

"This is good news," he said happily, turning the paper towards the screen, it was a map of their town and the surrounding area, a large red "x" marked a spot in the woods around Genkai's temple, "Spirit World Intelligence has narrowed down the area of the Widdow's lair to this small area in the forest."

"It figures," Yusuke said, "Remember all the horrible stuff that's in that section of the forest, Kuwabara? We had to run right through it for Genkai's training when I was looking for Rando."

"Yeah," Kuwabara replied, "Bat demons, snakes and wolves and who knows what else."

"Big ass spider women, apparently," Yusuke joked, "Well, it seems that Team Urimeshi has been reactivated so what are we waiting for? Let's get going before that Yukio kid has his insides sucked out."

"If a case comes up only every few years then I think we can handle that," Kurama stated as he stood up, "We should go."

"I am coming with you!" Yukina piped up as the boys and Botan began heading for the door. Kuwabara stopped short and turned to look at her in surprise.

"No way, Yukina!" he said firmly, "I am not letting you put yourself in danger."

"If Botan can go then so can I," Yukina insisted, "Remember, she and I are the only ones here with healing abilities, you may need us!"

"Botan won't be going into the lair with us," Yusuke pointed out, "It's far too dangerous. You should stay here."

"Yukina has a point," Kurama said quietly from the side, "The type of demon we are up against is very dangerous, there may be injuries."

"Fine, come on then," Yusuke conceded and headed for the door.

Kuwabara hesitated until Kurama and Botan had followed and pulled Yukina gently back as she passed him.

"Please, Yukina," he begged quietly, "You can change your mind, no one is going to think less of you. I just want you to be safe."

"And I want you to be safe as well," Yukina said firmly, "And I want to be there if you need me. I'm not a weak and helpless as you seem to think, Kazuma."

Kuwabara flinched slightly at her words, knowing she was right about that.

"Besides," Yukina continued, "I just have a bad feeling. You know Risa wasn't in school today."

"I think we have a lot bigger issues to worry about than Risa skipping school," Kuwabara replied.

"But what if she was captured too?" Yukina pointed out.

"Then she's already dead because she went missing before this last kid," Kuwabara stated simply, "Besides, it's taking guys. Why would it want Risa?"

"I don't know, Kazuma," Yukina was frustrated by her unexplainable concern for the awful girl, "I just have a bad feeling."

"Ok...fine, you can come along," Kuwabara reluctantly gave in as Yukina's eyes pleaded up at him, "But you do NOT come in that lair, understand?"

"Yes."

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They piled into Yusuke's car and took off, following the directions on the map that lead to a back entrance to the forest instead of taking the long way around to Genkai's temple. The sun had begun to set when Yusuke finally turned onto an old forest road and parked.

"It's not too far from here," he stated, "We'll walk the rest of the way."

"I will hold down the fort here in case Koenma calls us back with more information," Botan stated, laying the briefcase on her lap.

"And you too," Kuwabara eyed Yukina as she walked up to stand beside him.

"No, I will be going with you," Yukina said simply.

"You promised you wouldn't come in!" Kuwabara reminded her angrily.

"I said I wouldn't come into the lair," Yukina reminded him gently, laying a hand on his arm to calm him down, "But I will be close by in case you need my healing powers."

"I don't like that idea!" Kuwabara insisted.

"Well, too bad," Yukina replied firmly, "I am not a child and I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions. A Widow will want nothing to do with me, she won't even know I'm there if I keep hidden. She'll be focused on you three."

"Let her come, Kuwabara," Kurama said quietly, "Her points are all valid."

Kuwabara remained silent, a dark and angry look on his face. He crossed his arms and glared at the red haired demon.

"Hey, before you go, I have something special for you!" Botan announced, getting out of the car. She held out her hand to reveal five small items that looked like foam earplugs.

"These are a new invention from Spirit World," she said as she handed out the items, "Communication devices that run on a tiny amount of Spirit energy instead of wires or batteries, so small it won't drain your energy. It will allow us all to keep in contact with each other while you three are in the forest."

"A very good idea, Botan," Kurama commented as he pushed the plug into his ear.

"Ok, let's go!" Yusuke insisted, shoving his earpiece in and taking off at a trot towards the trees. Kurama Kuwabara, and Yukina followed after him, disappearing among the trees. Kuwabara purposely stayed in the back so he could keep an eye on Yukina as they made their way towards the lair...no stupid spider demon was going to snatch her up on his watch.

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"We should be getting close," Kurama whispered as they pushed through the underbrush, "I can smell it."

"Me too," Yusuke muttered, "It smells like...dead things."

"I don't smell anything," Kuwabara said, confused.

"Demons have a far better sense of smell," Yukina informed him, "Be thankful you can't smell it."

They pushed on until Kurama broke through a thick wall of branches and revealed a large clearing. Yusuke gasped in shock as he followed through the hole.

"Oh my god," Yukina averted her eyes as she and Kuwabara stepped into the clearing and Kuwabara just stared in shock.

The trees around the clearing were covered in cobwebs, the strands of which were thick as rope. The smell in the clearing was horrendous and Kuwabara finally realized what they'd been talking about as the scent hit his nose with a vengeance.

"Ugh, that's terrible!" he gagged.

"That's not the most terrible thing about this place," Kurama stated grimly, he pointed above them at a web that appeared older, pieces of it were torn and blowing in the wind. Something was stuck in the web, wrapped tightly...it looked like a mummy.

"Oh no," Yusuke groaned, "Don't tell me that's what I think it is..."

"Souji." Yukina whispered, affirming their fears, "He went missing first."

"Stay back," Kuwabara stepped ahead of them all, summoning his spirit sword and elongating it to cut the web around the encased body. It fell unceremoniously to the ground and Kurama stepped forward to cut off the wrappings. He only had to remove the threads around the face to reveal the severely dry, yet familiar face of Souji, his expression reflected the pain and horror of his last moments.

"I will kill this creature," Kurama stated simply, "And I will do it with delight."

"Come on," Yusuke said unhappily, "It's got to be close by."

"Yes," Kurama stood, looking away from the body on the ground, "Let's get moving."

The group continued on into the trees until they reached a second clearing, this one was full of webs as well, slightly newer looking. The second missing boy, whose name they didn't know, was found in the same manner as Souji, wrapped tight and sucked dry.

"We're very close now," Kurama said calmly, " Yukina, you should stay behind us at the next clearing. We will be facing the Widow in the next location."

Yukina nodded and followed them quietly, something in the back of her mind was nagging her constantly. She couldn't understand the strange feeling but she knew it was important.

"Here we are," Yusuke whispered up ahead, "Let's go, you three."

Kurama pulled out his rose whip and Kuwabara began to get his spirit sword ready, his palm glowing yellow in the dark. Yukina stepped back and crouched down behind a bush by the edge, giving herself a clear view while remaining hidden.

The boys flung themselves into the clearing, Kuwabara and Yusuke's usual battle cries filling the quiet air.

"Alright, you nasty arachnid bitch!" Yusuke yelled, "Come down off your nasty webs and face us!"

Yukina looked up and swallowed her horror. Her nagging feeling disappeared immediately when she saw the truth. There was another wrapped body in the webs, but this one was still moving, wiggling desperately as small grunts and whining came from it...but the creature next to it was what she couldn't look away from.

"Risa!?" Kuwabara choked, his eyes wide as he looked up at the demon in the web.

It was Risa from the bellybutton up, but she was dark purple and one hundred percent spider beneath that. She was grinning down at the three boys, two fangs stuck out over her bottom lip and they dripped a milky colored liquid.

"Kazuma," her voice was silky smooth as usual, despite her horrific form. Yukina imagined those three poor boys meeting her in her human form on the way to and from school, her swaying hips and her full lips and her piercing eyes leading them astray to their deaths, "The one that got away."

"Huh?" Yusuke looked at his friend in surprise, "You know this spider whore?"

"She...she goes to my school," Kuwabara said, distracted by the sight of the creature above them, "She...I think she was after me first before these guys!"

"This is the girl Yukina told Shizuru about," Kurama stated his thoughts out loud, "Yukina was very upset about her advances."

"So why didn't she eat you?" Yusuke asked, confused.

Rise growled angrily and moved a bit further down her web in their direction, glaring at Kuwabara with bright red eyes.

"For some reason, I could not affect him!" she hissed, "I was determined he would be my first victim, a man that size could tide me over for quite a while and...well, the sex could have been great too."

"Good to know these poor saps at least didn't die virgins," Yusuke muttered, his gallows humor coming out from the stress and discomfort.

"No, I assure you they did not," Risa grinned wickedly, "But you will, Kazuma. You had your chance and I'll not give you another."

"Can we stop talking and just kill her already?" Kuwabara was blushing a bright red and he gripped his spirit sword tightly.

"I agree," Kurama raised his whip and flung it at the web, but Risa leapt out of the way with a horrifying giggle, the web where she had been snapped and Yukio's tightly wrapped body fell to the ground.

"Nice dodge, but try and dodge this, bitch!" Yusuke aimed his finger, "SPIRIT GUN!"

The ball of energy missed its target but the surrounding energy made Risa slip and stumble slightly, falling to the ground but landing softly and uninjured, she just laughed as Kuwabara charged her and she brushed him aside with two legs.

"Damn," Kuwabara groaned, picking himself up quickly off the ground, "She's stronger than she looks!"

"She's fed recently," Kurama stated, "And she is due to lay eggs soon. She is top condition and, like any female creature, is very protective of her children."

"Gross, stop talking about eggs!" Kuwabara groaned, "I can't get the image of tiny spider demons popping out by the thousands!"

"And to think," Risa turned to look at him, "Some of them could have been yours. It's not too late, you know."

Kuwabara felt the urge to puke but held it back as he clenched his jaw defiantly.

"You said he didn't get a second chance," Yusuke reminded her, running at full speed toward his target, "And neither do you!"

His punch landed firmly into Risa's chest, sending her flying into a tree. But she simply rolled and landed on her eight legs, her human form arms clutched her chest as she groaned in pain and then she began to laugh.

"Oh, young man, you shouldn't have gotten so close," she chuckled darkly, licking her fang dramatically with her tongue. Yusuke looked down at his arm and saw two small holes in his arm near his wrist.

"Damn," he muttered as his legs began to shake, "She bit me!"

"Fight the effects, Yusuke!" Kurama yelled, but Yusuke fell to his knees and grabbed his wrist.

"You toxic bitch!" he shrieked before falling onto his side and writhing in pain.

Risa's laugh swelled into a maniacal shrieking giggle and turned her sights on Kurama.

"That whip of yours is quite dangerous," she said calmly, "We'll have to take care of that."

Kurama squinted dangerously and cracked the whip, sending it flying towards her legs, trying to trip her up. He smiled in triumph as it flew towards its target, but then his expression turned to shock as Risa turned quickly and shot out a string of webbing from her spider end, ensnaring the whips end in a tight wrap. She gripped it with her human arms and yanked it clean out of Kurama's grip.

"Kurama!" Kuwabara watched in shock as the whip was flung up into the trees.

"Clever trick," Kurama admitted with a nod, "But it will be your last."

"I don't think so," Risa laughed grimly. She turned so quickly that no one had time to react before her fangs sunk into Kuwabara's neck.

"Kazuma!" Yukina couldn't hide any longer, she burst from the bushes into the clearing and Kurama grabbed her around the waist to hold her back.

"Remain calm, Yukina, stay by my side," he ordered her gently, "Together we will defeat her."

Yukina looked up at Kurama, his green eyes were glaring daggers at the spider she began to suck the life out his friend.

"I know you have more power than you let on," he informed her, taking a step forward, "Now is the time to show us."

Yukina nodded and followed his lead, side by side they approached. Kurama reached into his hair for a second rose, remaking his whip in a split second. Yukina ducked her head slightly, glaring up at Risa through her lashes, her eyes turning pure white as her power flared up.

Kuwabara's eyes were starting flutter shut from blood loss and he was paling fast, but the sight of Yukina approaching made him gasp and wiggle in Risa's tight grip, she was stronger than he would ever have thought.

"Put your weapon away, Kurama," Yukina's voice was calm and soft, "This is personal. She's mine."

Kurama glanced down at the small demon next to him and nodded, stepping back with his whip lowered but ready. Yukina continued to step towards Risa, a cold wind began to whip around the clearing.

"No, Yukina," Kuwabara groaned weakly, "Stay...back..."

"You can't always be the one to save me," Yukina stated calmly, "It's my turn."

Risa's grip tightened but she raised her head, her fangs slipping out of Kuwabara's neck with a sickening _pop_ sound. She licked the blood off her lips with relish and grinned.

"Your energy feels pathetic," Risa commented, "You must be less than a C class."

"Shut your dirty mouth," Yukina growled, "I've had enough of you."

Yukina raised her hand, revealing a bright white glow in her palm. She raised her eyes to look directly at Risa, the corner of her lips twitched up into a grin.

"You set your sights on the wrong man. Shimo Bashira."

Kuwabara wondered for a moment what she meant by her last statement, but Risa's loud, painful scream in his left ear made him jerk in shock and turn his head to look at her. Blood dripped out of her wide open mouth, a look of shock on her face, she began shaking slightly and then she slid away and lay on the ground motionless. Kuwabara looked down and saw hundreds of tiny ice spikes embedded in Risa's back, he looked over at Yukina in surprise.

"Y...Yukina..." he whispered before he felt his legs give out and he fell to his knees and then flat on his front.

"Kazuma!" Yukina ran forward to heal him and Kurama nodded, putting his rose whip away and walking to Yusuke.

"Botan," he spoke, activating his communication device, "It's all clear, we need you to come here."

It wasn't long until Botan pounced into the clearing, her arms full of bandages.

"Who's injured?"

Yusuke raised his arm from where he lay on the ground and Botan ran over to him and began purging the poison with her spirit energy immediately.

"It burns," Yusuke muttered grimly, "And...I can't move my other arm."

"You'll be ok soon, it's a paralytic poison but it won't kill you," Botan assured him, "It's like a normal spider, paralyzed, wrapped up and eaten alive."

"Lovely," Yusuke muttered.

Kurama had unwrapped the unfortunate Yukio and examined him closely.

"He'll be alright," he announced to everyone in the clearing, "The poison is wearing off quickly. He'll have to have his memory cleared, no one should have to remember this."

"I'm a human and I have to remember it," Kuwabara muttered from the ground between Yukina's knees, she had her hands laid on the sides of his head, all healing completed, just tracing his hairline in relief of him being alive.

"We all have our crosses to bear," Botan said simply, "Come on, let's get out of this disgusting place. Genkai will be surprised to see us."

Kurama lifted Yukio and held him up at his side, helping him walk. On their way through the other two clearings, Yusuke and Kuwabara sadly shouldered the two dead boys and the grim procession made their way back to the car.

"Um, we'll meet you at Genkai's," Kuwabara announced as he laid the nameless boy's body in the back seat with Kurama.

Yukina looked at him in surprise, his tone was not what she expected. His face was hard and emotionless and she was sure this would not be an enjoyable walk.

"Ok, but be careful, you two," Botan said happily from the passenger seat, she gave Yukina a wink as Yusuke began backing up the car, "Have fun!"

Yukina watched the rear lights of the car disappear around the trees and she felt extremely nervous for some reason. Why?

"Come on," Kuwabara nodded his head towards the opposite direction, the dirt trail continued through the trees towards the temple. Yukina fell into step beside him and they walked in silence for a long time.

"What's wrong, Kazuma?" Yukina finally asked, unable to take the quietness any longer.

"I didn't know you could do that," Kuwabara said softly, "What class of demon are you?"

"Lower B class," Yukina answered, not knowing how this was relevant.

Kuwabara looked down at her in surprise.

"How come she couldn't feel your energy?" he asked.

"I was hiding it," Yukina admitted, "My main ability is healing, but I can create and control ice and snow as well, but I've never used it to kill before."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you alone," Kuwabara admitted, "Are you...gonna be ok with what you had to do back there?"

Yukina felt her lip tremble as the realization hit her. She had just killed someone. Taken a life. Something she never thought she would do.

"I had to do it," she said softly.

"No, you could have let Kurama do it."

"No, it had to be me," Yukina said firmly, "After everything...you could have been the one wrapped up in webs and sucked dry. She wanted to kill you all along."

"But she didn't," Kuwabara reminded her.

"But she tried," Yukina replied, "And that was unforgivable. I will protect you with everything I have."

Kuwabara stopped walking and looked down at his tiny demon girlfriend in surprise.

"You already do," he said with a slight smile, "You know why her powers didn't work on me, right?"

"Because of your code," Yukina guessed.

"No, baby," Kuwabara reached for her hand and cupped it between his own, leaning down to her level to look her in the eyes, "Because all I could think of the whole time was you. I mean...I can't lie and say she had absolutely no effect, but as soon as I started to think it sounded like a good idea your face would pop into my head and it cleared my mind."

Yukina wasn't too happy to hear Risa had gotten to him even a little bit, but she knew it wasn't his fault and what he was telling her was very special. His love for her was stronger than Risa's poisonous abilities.

"So, you see?" Kuwabara finished, "You've always protected me. In the Dark Tournament too, seeing you boosted my energy like an adrenaline rush. You don't have to get your hands dirty to protect me."

"This time I did," Yukina said calmly, "I may not be proud of what I just did, Kazuma...but I am not sorry."

Kuwabara eyed her carefully for a while and sighed, releasing her hand.

"I just wanted to be sure you're alright," he said softly.

Yukina smiled honestly and she laid her free hand on top of his.

"I will be fine," she promised, "Now, come on, let's get to Genkai's."

"What's the rush?" Kuwabara asked with a laugh and a wink, "I mean...we got a whole forest to ourselves."

"Yes, we do," Yukina agreed, not really understanding, "But why does that matter?"

Kuwabara considered saying more on the subject, but he had promised Hiei he wouldn't push anything and he had promised her as well, so he shook his head and stood up straight with a genuine smile.

"Nothin'," he said with a shrug, "I guess we better catch up to the others. Hopefully Genkai will feed us, I'm starving!"

"You're always starving," Yukina giggled, but she started walking again in the direction of the temple and the two of them made their way through the woods.

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 **Whew, that took a long time to get this written between work and house cleaning and life in general. But this was a fun chapter!**

 **Any more ideas? All suggestions welcome :) I'm loving it so far.**


	15. Making Waves

**New chapter, coming your way!**

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"Dimwit," Genkai shook her head as Yusuke told his mentor the story of their battle with the Succubus demon in her woods, "You let yourself get bit by a damn Widow? Do you really not know anything?"

"Shut up, Grandma, I've never seen one before," Yusuke defended himself, "How was I supposed to know what she would do."

"And you," Genkai pointed at Kuwabara, squinting in annoyance, "You just stood right next to it and let yourself get caught?"

"I was still recovering from the shock of _knowing_ it!" Kuwabara whined.

"And you," Genkai even glared at Kurama, "Letting it get a hold of your weapon like that."

"I always have a spare these days," Kurama replied easily, "She may have fooled me once, but she would not have succeeded twice."

"Yukina did a great job," Botan said proudly, leaning onto Yukina's shoulder.

"Yeah, you should have seen her," Kuwabara agreed, grinning at his girl with pride, "She formed hundreds of tiny ice needles and stabbed them in her back!"

"Who knew?" Yusuke said, looking impressed, "Little soft spoken Yukina has some badass powers."

The group spent several hours discussing what to do about the bodies to cover up what had actually happened to them and what to do about Yukio's memory. Eventually, Genkai assured them she would handle the memory erasing and she would contact Spirit World about what to do with the bodies and insisted they all get some rest after their difficult evening.

"I'm afraid two of you will have to share a room," the old lady stated as they started to disperse, "I've been doing some renovating and several rooms are unusable."

Yusuke gave the old psychic a wink, knowing damn well she was still playing the Cupid game, completely unaware how well the previous plans had worked since they hadn't seen her in weeks. Kurama smiled and Botan nodded.

"Well, I want my own room," Yusuke began the room claiming, "And Botan snores like a freight train so she needs to be pretty far away from everyone."

"Ugh! You're such a jerk!" Botan huffed, but she didn't argue for the sake of the ruse.

"And Kurama needs his own room as well," Yusuke continued, "If he wakes up in the middle of the night in a strange room with a strange person, his fox side might flare up and attack."

Kurama gave Yusuke an annoyed look but remained silent, letting the chips fall as they may.

"Well, then it's settled," Genkai stated matter of fact. Everyone dispersed to their rooms, leaving Kuwabara and Yukina standing in the main room looking shocked at the turn of events.

"Well...I guess we get to share the room?" Yukina said obviously when they were alone.

"Guess so," Kuwabara affirmed, "You ready for bed?"

"Not yet," Yukina said quietly, "You want to go out to the deck and look at the stars?"

Kuwabara thought that sounded like a great idea, so he followed her happily out the sliding doors and onto the deck. They took a seat on the front steps and gazed up at the night sky, it was dark and full of bright stars and the way Yukina's eyes were reflecting the tiny lights made Kuwabara's stomach flutter. She was even more beautiful in the moonlight.

"Thanks for what you did, Yukina," he said softly, finding it a little difficult to admit he'd had to be rescued by the girl he swore he'd protect, "I'm not too proud to admit I needed rescuing."

"We all need rescuing sometimes, Kazuma," Yukina replied with a smile, "There's no shame in that."

"I'm just...supposed to be protecting you," Kuwabara admitted sadly, "That's how it's supposed to be."

Yukina remained silent, contemplating why anyone would feel that they had to always protect and never _be_ protected themselves, she settled on the idea that it must be a male thing because she knew Hiei felt the same way about it. He felt he needed no one to stand for him.

"Want to go down to the shore?" Yukina's musing was shattered by Kazuma's question and she smiled brightly at the suggestion.

"Yes!" The ocean had fast become Yukina's favorite spot in Human World. They had no ocean in Demon World and the endless horizon of water fascinated her to no end, the way her skin felt when she came out of the salty water, the roar of the waves, the shells and creatures scattered over the soft sand...it was like nothing she'd ever known.

Kuwabara grinned and he stood, offering her his hand to help her stand. She took it gladly and they headed out of the garden and down the temple steps towards the shore below. They carefully made their way down the trail along the sea cliffs and Yukina sighed in happiness as soon as she started feeling the sand on the trail, meaning they were very close. She reached down and removed her sandals and then pulled down her stockings to go barefoot, the cool softness of the sand made her smile even wider.

The two of them ran barefoot down to the waterline, laughing as they went. Yukina looked up at the sky and gasped, the moon was a crescent sliver in the sky and it's light was so slight that the stars had no competition, they shone even brighter down here away from the temple lights, she thought she'd never seen such a beautiful sight.

"Want to go for a swim?" she asked brightly, turning to Kazuma with her hands clasped together with joy. He grinned at her and nodded eagerly, pulling his shirt over his head and slipping out of his jeans.

Yukina blushed, realizing now that she had no swimming suit and didn't really feel like swimming in a kimono...

"You can take it off, you know?" Kazuma's voice sounded genuinely unconcerned, "Not much difference between what you have on under that and a bikini."

He had a valid point, Yukina thought as she looked at him standing there in his boxers. No different than swimming trunks. Self-consciously, she undid her tie and turned away from him, blushing as she let the kimono fall to her feet. She waited quietly for a moment before turning around.

Kazuma was staring at her, like she'd expected, his gaze locked on her chest as she turned. But he soon shook his head and blinked hard, his eyes rising to meet hers and he smiled softy.

"Wow," he said quietly, "I mean, I knew you were beautiful under that thing but...I didn't know you were going to be _this_ beautiful."

Yukina blushed at his compliment and she found herself feeling less and less nervous about her state of undress, it felt...normal. It felt right. And, as she let herself adjust to his admiring gaze, she found herself staring right back. Sure, she'd seen him in only his boxers many times back at their house, but that was before she'd realized her attraction to him, now it was a whole new view.

"Are we just gonna stare at each other all night?" Kazuma asked, breaking the silent tension.

"I would be ok with that," Yukina said without thinking, she then closed her mouth tightly when she realized what she'd said.

"So would I," Kazuma agreed with a wink, "But I know how much you love to swim and you'd hate to miss it."

Yukina giggled and then she took off at a run towards the water, splashing through the shallows until she was deep enough to jump into the small waves with a happy squeal, Kazuma followed her lead, laughing his usual raucous laughter before he hit the water with a mighty splash.

They splashed around for a time, laughing as they scooped palms full of water at each other's faces in a friendly war that he won naturally because of the larger amount of water his palms could scoop. Yukina finally called out that she was defeated and dramatically fell backwards into the water with her arms crossed over her chest in a dead pose. Kazuma punched the air in triumph and the two of them relaxed, treading water and letting the waves rock them lazily.

Kazuma quickly grew tired of the distance between them and he pushed off the bottom with enough force to reach Yukina before she could react. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he lifted the small ice maiden up out of the water and she squealed in surprise as she felt herself twisted around to face him and pulled in tightly to his bare chest. She giggled as she nuzzled in close and relaxed into his hug, smiling as she felt the warmth of his skin in contrast to the cool water around them.

"Yukina? Are you happy here in Human World?" Kazuma asked quietly, twisting a strand of her sea foam hair around his finger absentmindedly. "I mean...do you ever miss your home?"

"I'm very happy here, Kazuma," Yukina replied honestly, raising her head to look up at him, "My ice kingdom was small and isolated and even if I had free reign of all of Demon World, it could never compare to your world. Plus, I have you here and all our friends, I could never have that in Demon World."

"I'd follow you to Demon World if I had to," Kazuma insisted, giving her an Eskimo kiss.

"You'd die if you stayed there too long," Yukina reminded him.

"I'd die here without you anyway."

These words hit Yukina like a ton of bricks and she met his eyes to check if he was being serious...his expression left nothing to be debated, he was very serious. She found her mind wandering to how much she loved him in return. Enough to die for him? Yes. Enough to die if he was absent in her life? She wasn't aware that deep of a love was possible...but she had a feeling it would be the same for her. The thought of losing him was too much.

She blinked away the tears she felt forming on her eyelashes and she smiled at him, feeling a now familiar feeling forming low in her abdomen. He had told her that she could choose the time and place when she was ready to take the next step in their relationship...and, looking up at him here in the night surrounded by the sound of waves and wind, no one around and nothing to worry about, she felt brave enough to make her choice.

"Kazuma," she began softly, "I...I want..."

"Yeah?" Kazuma swallowed thickly, waiting on pins and needles for her to finish her statement.

"I have decided it's time to..."

But she didn't get to finish, because at that very moment Kazuma jerked his head to the right and his eyes widened in fear. He grabbed her shoulders forcefully.

"Hold your breath!" he shouted a moment before he shoved her beneath the water and ducked in after her.

Yukina wondered what was going on but her train of thought derailed when she felt a huge amount of force hit them and a roaring noise filled her ears, she felt herself being pushed and she grabbed onto Kazuma as tightly as she could as they were rolled by the massive wave that had come from seemingly nowhere. Yukina felt herself hit the sand under the shallows and her breath was knocked out of her, her mouth filled with water and she felt her chest burn as some reached her lungs. She felt Kazuma next to her and knew he was pulling her from the sensation of sand sliding along her back, she opened her eyes and saw that they were now on the shoreline just below the water line, the wave had literally thrown them onto the beach and he was pulling her quickly above the tide line.

Coughing harshly, Yukina rolled onto her side and felt herself begin to heave.

"Yukina, are you alright?" she heard Kazuma's frightened tone but she couldn't stop coughing and her vision was beginning to darken on the edges. A moment later she was on her back and she felt immense pressure just below her ribcage as Kazuma pushed his fist into her diaphragm, forcing the water in her lungs upward. Another massive cough and water gushed out of her mouth, instant relief flooded her when she realized she could breathe again. "Oh my god, baby, talk to me! Can you breathe?"

Yukina took a deep breath and nodded weakly.

"I'm ok," she croaked, her lungs were sore and she wanted to throw up but she held back.

"Thank god!" Kazuma swept her into another hug and began rocking her gently, "I am so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, I should have noticed the tide change!"

"Don't worry," Yukina found she could only say a few words at a time before she would cough again.

"Come on, let's get you back to the temple. You need to warm up and relax."

Kazuma scooped her up in his arms with no effort at all and Yukina gasped in surprise, it felt so strange to be carried like this, like she weighed nothing at all! He carried her to the log where they'd left their clothes and set her there while he gathered them up but they were soaked from the wave.

"Guess we won't be worrying about these for now," he muttered, "Here, carry these and I'll carry you."

Yukina took the clothes without a word and found herself picked up once again. She laid the clothes on her chest and curled her arms into herself, the cold night air was chilling her in a way ice and snow never did...it was an internal cold. She knew Kazuma was feeling it too because she could feel him shivering against her as they headed back up the trail towards the temple.

When they finally made it to the porch, Kazuma set Yukina on her feet and took the clothes from her, draping them over the railings of the deck to dry in the night air. He opened the sliding door slightly and looked around to make sure the coast was clear and then motioned Yukina to follow him inside.

"Why are we being so sneaky?" Yukina whispered as she stepped through the door.

"I just don't want Yusuke or Kurama to see you like this," Kazuma gestured to her undergarment clad body, "I'll grab us some blankets."

He disappeared into the other room and re-emerged with two towels and two fleece blankets. Yukina took a towel gratefully and began drying off her sand covered legs, happy to get the gritty grains off of her. Kazuma immediately began fluffing up his soaked hair, leaning over and shaking droplets every which way. When he straightened back up, Yukina nearly guffawed with laughter at the sight of his poofed out ginger locks.

"You look pretty funny yourself," Kazuma said with a good natured grin. He handed her one of the blankets and she gladly wrapped herself up in the warm fleece material.

"I'll make you some tea," Kazuma offered, tossing his towel over a nearby Buddha statue to dry and then disappearing into the kitchen. Yukina followed and sat cross-legged by the table to wait for the tea.

"Thank you for not letting me drown," she said, thinking back in horror to the feeling of water going into her lungs.

"It didn't look like you took in too much water," Kazuma commented as he stoked the fire in the fire pit, Genkai liked to do everything the old fashioned way, "You should be just fine. Probably more scared than anything, right?"

"It was terrifying," Yukina admitted with a nod.

"I will never let that happen again," Kazuma promised, sitting next to her on the floor. He wrapped his own blanket around his shoulders and seemed to relax in the current setting.

They sat in comfortable silence until the water in the teapot boiled and he got up to add the tea leaves to steep, he poured two cups and returned to sit with her again. Yukina sighed happily as the hot tea warmed her from the inside out, a wonderful feeling after almost drowning in the cold ocean water and she felt her eyes getting heavy with sleepiness.

"Ready to go to sleep?" Kazuma asked quietly as he watched her sway gently. Yukina nodded, blinking slowly, and they stood and headed for their room.

Yukina didn't hesitate, she immediately laid down and pulled the blankets up to her chin, snuggling deep into the mat beneath her. Genkai's temple was old-fashioned in every way and her beds were no different, traditional mats on the floor instead of the mattress and frame Kazuma was used to. But he would be willing to sleep on a bed of nails if it meant he got to sleep next to Yukina so he slid in beside her. He smiled broadly when Yukina backed into him, snuggling as close to him as possible, her entire back pressed to his chest. Kazuma counted his lucky stars as he draped his arm over her side, pulling her hips to him as well. It wasn't exactly how he'd hoped the night would end, but it was better than sleeping alone.

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Hiei rushed through the trees, heading at full speed for Genkai's temple. He'd felt his sister's panic all the way in Demon World and he had rushed to Human World as fast as he could manage, which was pretty dang fast.

"I'm coming, Yukina! Hold on!" Hiei cried out loud, it encouraged him and kept him going despite how tired he was getting. Finally, he skidded to a halt outside the front of the temple and looked around in surprise at how quiet and not dangerous everything seemed. Why had Yukina been so afraid a while ago?

Shaking his head, Hiei quietly entered the temple and looked around quickly and cautiously. He found Genkai asleep in the main bedroom, Yusuke was sleeping next door, then Botan and finally Kurama. He was so confused, nothing seemed amiss at all, and he could sense Yukina was nearby and she was fast asleep as well...and...and...

Hiei nearly roared out loud as he flew down the hall to the last bedroom and slid the panel open angrily. His eyes widened in disbelief and pure rage as the sight they beheld. That giant oaf of a human was laying next to his sister, no...laying _with_ his sister, his stupid arm draped over her slender hips. His anger was further stoked when he realized that they were in a state of undress!

Fuming, Hiei drew his sword and pointed the tip at Kuwabara's neck behind his left ear. Oh, it would be so easy...just one little nick in the right place and he'd be out of his hair forever and away from his sister. But...that much blood was bound to wake her up and she would be terribly upset...no, killing him like this was not an option. Kuwabara must have sensed his presence because his eyes opened and he looked up in alarm. He glanced down at Yukina and seemed to be thinking carefully.

 _"Can we talk like this, Hiei?"_ his voice reached Hiei's mind in telepathic communication, " _I don't want to wake her up. Plus, I have a feeling you have a lot to say to just me."_

 _"You're damn right,"_ Hiei shot back, his red eyes narrowed dangerously, _"I warned you not to do this with her. I am going to have to kill you now."_

Kuwabara looked incredulous and he furrowed his brows.

 _"Nothing happened, Hiei,"_ he assured him desperately, _"Everyone else just claimed all the rooms. And we were down by the shore and our clothes got wet so that's why we're...go look on the deck, I swear they're out there drying."_

Hiei raced off and was back in a flash, he was annoyed to see Kuwabara was telling the truth.

 _"I still do not approve of this arrangement,"_ the demon said angrily.

 _"I thought you gave me permission to be with her,"_ Kuwabara reminded him gently, not wanting to stir Hiei up any more than he already was.

 _"I gave you permission to have a relationship with her, not this!"_

 _"Well, in case you don't know much about relationships, this IS part of one..."_

Hiei bared his fangs and Kuwabara stopped short.

 _"You said you would not force her!"_ he hissed.

 _"I didn't! I haven't. Listen, Hiei, I told her the choice will be hers. I promise I won't do a single thing she doesn't want me to. I'm waiting for her to make her own decision."_

Hiei crossed his arms and huffed.

 _"You are not good enough for my sister,"_ he hissed, _"Can't you understand that? Koenma contacted me about the Succubus...and, from what I hear, Yukina had to save your worthless self."_

 _"You should have seen her, Hiei,"_ Kuwabara's telepatic tone was one of pride and he looked down at his girl with shining eyes, _"I never knew she could do that! She was amazing!"_

 _"I'm sure she was, because someone HAD to be,"_ Hiei replied, unimpressed, _"How am I supposed to give you two my support if you can't take care of her?"_

 _"I can, Hiei, I promise,"_ Kuwabara suddenly felt desperate to have Hiei understand, knowing how much he meant to Yukina made him eager for his acceptance of them together. _"It was a mistake, but I have protected her before."_

 _"Like the time at the Dark Tournament when you just stood there as the roof almost crushed her?"_ Hiei reminded him.

Kuwabara winced, he'd forgotten all about that incident. Sighing, he looked up to meet Hiei's eyes in all seriousness.

 _"What can I do to prove to you that she'll be safe with me?"_

Hiei remained silent for a long time, his mind working furiously. Could this human ever be strong enough to make him feel as if his sister was in good hands? Would he ever be able to trust Kuwabara like he seemed to think he should?

 _"I know of only one way I could ever be convinced."_ Hiei finally came to a solution, _"Remember when we fought Sensui...?"_

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 **Sorry to end it here but it felt like the right place.**

 **Thanks to all my readers for your continued interest in this story! There is more to come, next chapter will be M rated for sexy fun times, so if you don't like, don't read. If you do like, then read on and enjoy :)**


	16. Kurama Makes an Offer

**This chapter request comes from kuwayukifan91 and, again, I swear she's psychic because this chapter plays out quite a lot like I was thinking about doing.**

 **This is going to be a sexy fun times chappie so...enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing (seriously, writing sex scenes is pretty fun an entertaining).**

 **Onward!**

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A week had passed since the Widow incident and Kuwabara was completely worn out, mentally and physically. School continued after Genkai and Spirit World concocted a fantastic tale about the two boys being unfortunate choices for a Cult ritual sacrifice...it seemed a bit extreme to Kuwabara when he heard the tale, but no one else seemed to find it odd so he, Keiko and Yukina stayed silent about the matter and pretended they knew nothing about it. Yukio returned to school and it was clear that Genkai had put the tale inside his mind as well, he seemed shaken but not as shaken as he would be if he knew giant spider demons hunted humans often.

Kuwabara sat in math class but his mind was not on the lesson at all. He chewed the eraser of his pencil as he thought back to Hiei's conditions of his continued relationship with Yukina.

 _"Sacred energy?!"_

 _"Yes," Hiei had insisted, "Only a human can master it and it is stronger than any demon energy. You are strong by human standards but they mean nothing to me, with the sacred energy that Sensui had you could be strong even by my standards."_

 _"But, Hiei, it takes a long time to learn if you can learn it at all," Kuwabara had argued, "My life would be half over before then."_

 _"That should be incentive to learn it faster," Hiei said, unconcerned, "Sensui learned in seven years, right?"_

 _"He was also a crazy sociopath with seven personalities!" Kuwabara reminded him, "I'm just..."_

 _"You're a human with unparalleled spirit awareness," Hiei finished, "You obviously have more potential than I ever gave you credit for, your ability to produce the Jigen Tou proves that."_

 _"Is that...a compliment?" Kuwabara was utterly shocked by Hiei's words._

 _"Don't flatter yourself," Hiei said firmly, his red eyes squinting fiercely, "I was simply implying that you're not as worthless as I thought when I first met you."_

 _"Gee, thanks," Kuwabara muttered, "Ok, Hiei, if...if this is the way to earn your respect then I'll do it. I'd do anything to be with your sister without having to constantly watch my back for your sword."_

 _"Smart choice."_

Kuwabara knew if he had any idea what he was getting into by agreeing, he might have thought twice before agreeing to the outrageous condition, but it was too late now. When he had gone to Genkai for help she had been utterly shocked and muttered a long time about not wanting to train another dimwit...but the request must have peaked her interest because she finally agreed to teach him what she could. It turned out that it really wasn't much, she could teach him how to tap into it because it was something every human had the potential to unleash and she could teach him how to feel the difference between normal energy and sacred energy...but the rest would be up to him.

He'd practiced every single day since then and it was harder than he ever imagined. He had developed dark circles under his eyes from the combination of lack of sleep and the physical effort of forcing the energy to the surface and his limbs felt heavy as lead like he'd just spent a day in the gym doing nothing but free weights...but he hadn't even managed a tiny glow of energy yet. He wondered if the effort to use the energy could actually kill him?

"Mr. Kuwabara, did you hear what I just said?" the annoyed voice of his teacher snapped his mind back to the present and he blinked in confusion.

"No, ma'am, I didn't," he admitted with a sigh, "I'm sorry, I was...I have a lot on my mind."

"Well, I certainly hope it's your college applications," his teacher said kindly, "I asked you the answer for problem number one fifteen."

Kuwbara looked down at the algebra problem and thought hard for a long time before sadly shaking his head.

"No," he replied unhappily, "I can't figure it out."

He felt eyes watching him and he glanced to his right to find Keiko watching him in concern, he gave her a weak smile and dropped his eyes back to his textbook. Mrs. Yamamato looked disappointed but she smiled gently.

"Kazuma, you have much potential," she said softly, "But you are so easily distracted. You must focus if you wish to get into a good college. I want you to be successful and math is a very important skill you must know."

Kuwabara looked up and nodded, knowing she was right. He would just have to balance his time better.

After class, Keiko trotted up to him in the hallway, he face full of concern.

"Kuwabara, what is going on?" she asked quietly, "You've been distracted all week and you look absolutely worn out. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kuwabara looked down at Keiko fondly, she had supported him from the moment he'd decided to dedicate himself to school. She had lamented Yusuke's decision to drop out and had told him she was proud of him for choosing to continue his education unlike her stubborn fiancé. Keiko was a very loyal friend and he found himself wating to share his troubles with her.

"I don't really know if you can, Keiko," he sighed.

"Well, let's start by telling me why you're so distracted," Keiko ventured, "Is it about Yukina?"

"Sort of, but it's not a bad thing," Kuwabara admitted, "Hiei kind of gave me a...suggestion. He told me he would never be ok with Yukina and I unless he felt sure I can take care of her."

Keiko's face took on a look of sympathetic unhappiness.

"He wants me to master sacred energy," Kuwabara finished, "Like Sensui had."

The mention of Sensui made Keiko's eyes darken in anger.

"But...I thought that was an extremely difficult thing to do?"

"It is," Kuwabara's shoulders slumped as he thought about his training so far, "I've been practicing every day for a week and I can only just tell the difference between it and normal energy. A week and that's it, Keiko!"

"At least you can sense it, Kuwabara," Keiko encouraged him, "I mean...if it's as hard to learn as it sounds then that sounds like a good start to me."

"It's exhausting," Kuwabara said grimly, "I can't focus during school if I'm constantly exhausted from training."

"If you want, I can help you stay focused in class," Keiko offered, "I know for a fact that Mrs. Yamamato will let me switch seats to be next to you if she knows I'm going to keep you paying attention and help you learn."

"You'd do that, Keiko?" Kuwabara felt a bit of hope rise in his chest.

"Of course," Keiko said cheerfully, "And, when the time comes, I'll help you put together your college applications and make sure you have everything you need to get into wherever you decide. Remember, you have to make a life for you and Yukina, not just keep her safe. In our world it takes more than brute strength to get ahead."

Kuwabara watched Keiko walk away towards her next class with a smile. He was definitely a really lucky guy to have the support of everyone...everyone but Hiei, anyway.

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When Kuwabara got home, he was slightly surprised to find Kurama standing in his kitchen laughing easily with Shizuru, a potted plant in his hand.

"Oh, hey, little bro," Shizuru greeted him as he shut the door behind him.

"Hey, Shizu. Hey, Kurama, what are you doing here?" Kuwabara asked rather brusquely.

"Oh, I...Shizuru mentioned what she was making for dinner and I have been growing herbal plants for cooking," Kurama explained, his voice slightly higher pitched than normal and his face took on a look of forced innocence, "I happened to have the perfect plant for her recipe. Fresh herbs are always much better than the dried ones and I figured she would put it to better use than I would so I brought her one."

Both siblings eyed the demon with matching confused expressions, but Kuwabara let it slide easily as Kurama held up the plant as proof.

"Rosemary," he stated lamely.

"Ok..." Kuwabara said, turning to Shizuru, "I hope you're making something special because Yukina got her last test back today and it was a perfect score. I think she deserves a little celebration."

Kurama's nervousness faded away and he gave Shizuru a sideways glance before setting his plant down and approaching Kuwabara with a grin, he nodded towards the living room to follow.

"You're right, Kuwabara," the demon stated confidently as soon as they exited the kitchen, "Yukina deserves recognition for her first official human world accomplishment!"

"I wouldn't say it's her first accomplishment, Kurama," Kuwabara said with a roll of his eyes.

"No, of course not," Kurama corrected himself easily, "I just meant her first great accomplishment in school . It's a big deal to her, I assume?"

"Yeah, you should have seen her face," Kuwabara recalled Yukina's excited squeal as she ran down the hallway towards him, her face sporting the biggest smile he'd seen on her yet, "She was so proud of herself."

"As she should be," Kurama said genuinely, "And she deserves a reward, don't you think?"

"Yeah, she sure does," Kuwabara agreed with a nod.

"I have an idea if you're interested," Kurama suggested suavely.

"I'm listening," Kuwabara crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the couch, giving Kurama a grin as he wondered what the Kitsune had to offer.

"My father has a secluded beach house on the shoreline," Kurama said nonchalantly, "Yukina loves the ocean, as you well know."

Kuwabara considered their last visit to the beach and the near disaster it was, he did kind of owe Yukina a beach trip that didn't involve nearly drowning...

"Of course, you two would have the run of the place," Kurama added with a suggestive tone.

Kuwabara felt his cheeks heat up and he knew he was blushing furiously, he looked down at the floor and nodded, knowing full well Kurama was presenting an opportunity he could only have hoped for. It was definitely hard to find any privacy between their friends and his sister.

"You sure your dad won't mind?" he asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"Of course not," Kurama assured him, "He and my mom are on vacation in Australia for two weeks."

Kuwabara was about to ask more questions but the front door opened and a giddy Yukina stepped inside, holding up her paper for Shizuru to see.

"Ok, Kurama," he said quickly, having to make a decision on the fly, "If you're sure it's alright?"

"Absolutely," Kurama smiled, "I'll bring you the key tomorrow morning."

The two boys shared a knowing nod as Yukina bounced into the room to show Kurama her score.

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When Kuwabara offered to take Yukina to the beach house, she was ecstatic. She ran straight up to her room to pack her weekend bag and then she bounced back downstairs and told Shizuru all about it...Shizuru glared suspiciously at her little brother for a while before returning to picking leaves off her new rosemary plant from Kurama.

Dinner passed quickly, Yukina bubbling over about the weekend trip. Shizuru reamined quiet and thoughtful, her eyes often resting on Kazuma and squinting doubtfully, Kuwabara tried not to make eye contact with his sister and kept his head down as he ate as quick as he could manage without choking to death.

After dinner, Kuwabara jumped up and quickly excused himself to pack his bag. He took off upstairs before anyone could say another word and he shut his door with a stressed exhale, Shizuru's glances had made him very uncomfortable. What was her problem?

True to his word, he packed his bag and then stood there wondering what to do next to avoid Shizuru's judgmental gaze. A knock on his door made him look up in surprise.

"Yeah?" he asked warily, the door cracked open to reveal Yukina's smiling face and he relaxed, "Oh, hey, baby!"

"Kazuma, I wanted to come and tell you goodnight," Yukina announced, "I want to get well rested for the weekend! I know we're going to have a lot of fun."

He sure hoped so. He grinned happily when Yukina gave him her usual goodnight hug and quick kiss, it always left him wishing for more. He watched her go with a sigh and walked over to close his door, but came face to face with Shizuru.

"Ah! Shizuru, what do you want?" he asked, knowing he had nowhere else to run. It was time to face her.

"Kazuma, we need to talk," Shizuru muttered, she sounded just as unsure as he felt and that made him relax slightly as she walked in and then turned to face him with her arms crossed.

"About what?" Kazuma asked nervously.

Shizuru took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Other than all those street brawls you've been in at school, you're a really good kid," she said all in one breath.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Shizu," Kazuma said, crossing his arms as well and leaning back against the wall.

"Trust me, Kazu, I know you aren't," Shizuru informed him, her voice sounded a little...stressed, "I've watched you grow up from a newborn, crying, stinky baby to what you are now...a brave, strong, honorable young man."

Kazuma felt a little warmed in his heart by his sister's praise but it was still uncomfortable and he shifted his weight around as he avoided her eyes.

"I know you're a good guy, I know your code and I know how much you value honor and honesty," Shizuru continued, and she raised her head to look at him with a very stern expression, "So this weekend you better remember all that."

"What are you trying to say, Shizuru?" Kazuma had a suspicion he already knew but he had discovered long ago to never assume he knew anything about his sister because she always surprised him.

"Here's a simple rule to follow," Shizuru continued, ignoring his question but answering it anyway, "'No' means NO even if it was 'yes' three seconds ago."

"Wha...Shizuru, I'm not dumb!" Kazuma spluttered, taken aback by her insinuation, "You know me!"

"Yes," Shizuru held her palms out in a calming way and seemed unmoved by his outburst, "But in the heat of the moment it's easy to forget."

"Well, I won't forget," Kazuma pouted, feeling slightly attacked by his sister's doubt.

"Just remember, if she says no or even _looks_ uncomfortable you had best not push her," Shizuru continued, "But if she decides she _is_ ready remember this: Ladies come first."

Kazuma rolled that statement around in his mind for a moment, wondering if she meant it the way it sounded...

"And, yes, I _do_ mean it that way," Shizuru assured him.

"Stop reading my mind," Kazuma muttered, annoyed by his sister's abilities to get in his head, "And, trust me, I know that rule too."

"Ugh, I should not be the one having this conversation with you," Shizuru rubbed her eyes with her palms, "Mom or dad should be here to handle this. Alright, you better be really damn careful. Don't do anything stupid because the absolute _last_ thing you need on your plate is an unplanned kid."

Kazuma's jaw dropped in shock.

"Don't look at me like that," Shizuru reprimanded him, giving him a solid slap across the face to make her point. Kazuma rubbed his now sore cheek and glared at her. "Someone has to tell you this stuff. I'm all you've got, little bro, so listen to my pearls of wisdom."

"I don't need your pearls of wisdom," Kazuma muttered, "I'm not completely clueless about this stuff."

Shizuru sighed and left the room, returning a moment later with a small box that she tossed in his direction. He caught it and scanned the label, blushing bright red when he realized what he'd just been given. A box of condoms.

"Geez, you think I need a whole box?" he tried to lighten the mood with a joke but Shizuru did not look amused.

"I've said all I can and done all I can," she said, starting to relax now that the hardest part was over, "The rest is all your problem."

"Thank god," Kazuma muttered, tossing the box at his overnight bag so he didn't have to hold it anymore. To be honest, they scared the shit out of him.

Shizuru nodded once and walked stiffly out, this time she headed to her room and shut the door. Kazuma decided he'd had enough of this day and he shoved his bag to the floor, stripped down to his boxers and collapsed heavily onto his bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

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The next morning found Kazuma and Yukina standing in the kitchen with their bags in hand as Kurama handed over the key to the beach house. Shizuru was leaning against the counter, smoking and looking somewhat smug.

"Thanks so much, Kurama," Yukina said happily as and Kazuma headed out the door.

"You're very welcome, Yukina," Kurama replied with a charming smile, "Kuwabara, I must give you some details about the house!"

Kazuma looked over his shoulder in confusion as heclosed the car door for Yukina.

"Be right back, love," he told her before returning to the front step where Kurama waited patiently. The demon gave him a mischievous smile as he approached and Kazuma felt a little uncomfortable.

"Kuwabara, there's a few things you should know about ice maiden anatomy and physiology," Kurama informed him quietly, Kazuma furrowed his brow in curious surprise.

"O...k..." he said slowly, glancing back to make sure Yukina wasn't hearing this.

"Shizuru told me about your talk last night," Kurama began, making Kuwabara blush, "But I figured it's only fair that you know your precautions are unecessary."

"What do you mean?" the demon had his full attention now.

"As you know, an ice apparition has a child every one hundred years and can reproduce asexually," Kurama pointed out.

"Right..."

"What you don't know is _why_ it only happens every one hundred years, if even that," Kurama continued, "Yukina has not yet reached her hundredth year of life, so she is currently unable to produce a child. It's sort of like human puberty...only she's fully developed, just not fertile. After her first hundredth year, she will be able to conceive at any given time by choice."

"By choice?" Kazuma questioned, not quite getting the idea.

"Yes," Kurama nodded, "Every hundred years ice apparitions have a sort of...mating season. At that point they have no control over their hormones and ability to have children, they are _highly_ fertile. However, at any given time after their first hundredth year until the next they can control their hormones to prevent pregnancy. They've always had this ability, even before they isolate themselves from men entirely."

"So...they can have kids if they want to at any time?" Kazuma asked nervously.

"No," Kurama corrected him, "They can only create a child themselves every hundred years. Any other time they have to reproduce like any other living thing...but they can choose whether or not the coupling results in children."

"Does she know that?" Kazuma asked hopefully, he really did not feel educated enough to explain this to her.

"Of course she does," Kurama assured him with a laugh, "But, like I said, that won't matter until a few more years anyway. Yukina is only ninety seven."

"Don't say that," Kazuma groaned, "That just sounds so intimidating...ninety seven..."

"That's basically the equivalent of eighteen in human calculations," Kurama said calmly, "You two are actually very evenly matched for a demon and human couple. Usually demons don't get to Human World until they are older. Yukina and Hiei are exceptions to that."

"Since you don't need it can I have that box back, little bro?" Shizuru stepped out and held her hand out expectantly.

"Why?" Kazuma narrowed his eyes at his sister, suspiciously.

"You never know when you might need it," she replied simply, "They're mine anyway."

The fact that Shizuru kept condoms in her bedside table drawer made Kazuma feel like his whole life was a lie...how many times had she snuck someone in her room while he'd been there?! He pulled the box out and tossed it to her quickly, afraid now to touch it because who knew where it had been. If he didn't leave now, he was going to puke thinking about his sister's sexual adventures just two doors down from his room.

"Have a good weekend," Kurama called as Kazuma practically jumped in the driver's seat and zoomed away.

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 **Ok, I lied, this chapter isn't the sexy fun times chapter, but it was a necessary build up chapter to set the situation up. I will continue the next chappie right now!**


	17. Ready

**Ok, here is the chapter I promised. Sexy fun times ahead!**

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Yukina smiled brightly when they finally pulled up to the secluded beach house. It was small, but it looked incredibly cozy with its dark wood trim and the beautiful. tall plants growing on either side of the entryway, a result of Kurama's talents with plants, no doubt.

Too excited to even wait for Kazuma to open her door, she threw her door open and got out with her hands clasped together, bouncing slightly from foot to foot.

"Ooooh, this is such a lovely place!" she said happily, turning to look out to the beach that was just about a football field's length away, "It's so close to the water!"

Kazuma smiled at her as he grabbed their bags from the trunk. Yukina followed him to the entryway and kicked off her shoes before stepping up into the main part of the house and she nearly squealed when she looked around the main room. It was an open floor concept, the kitchen and main room sort of melted into each other and everything was decorated in old style Japanese, the low table and the beautiful art covered paper screen doors, paper lanterns hung around waiting to be lit when evening rolled around, natural lighting made it feel like Yukina was still outside.

"Wow," Kazuma said in awe, "This is...better than Genkai's temple."

Yukina nodded and headed for the hallway that led to the bedroom. It was a decent sized room, sparsely furnished with two simple dressers, a standing mirror, a wooden storage cube and a rather large bed covered in red sheets on a solid black platform.

Kazuma laid their bags on the floor near the dresser closest to the doorway and then flopped down unceremoniously onto the bed and closed his eyes with a sigh. Yukina looked down at him with a smile, wondering why he looked so exhausted all of the time lately...

"So, what would you like to do first?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

Yukina considered this statement and she looked around the room while she thought.

"Can we go for a walk on the beach?" she asked.

"Sure thing, baby," Kazuma replied, opening one eye and smiling up at her, "Anything you want."

He pushed himself up onto his palms and then stood up with a grunt. Yukina smiled up at him and grabbed his hand in both of hers, leading him out to the hallway and towards the front door. Kazuma followed happily, laughing slightly at her excitement as she tried to slip on her sneakers without having to lean over and pull them on, she finally gave up and reached down to pull the backs so her feet would get in and then she was out the door. She took a deep breath of the clear, crisp ocean air and sighed happily, it was so nice here away from the crowded streets, loud noises and dirty smells of the city.

The pair walked along the line where grass began to turn into sand, laughing and making small talk as they strolled along.

"I need to get perfect scores on more tests!" Yukina stated as she gave Kazuma's hand a squeeze and grinned up at him.

"I don't think I can get Kurama's dad to agree to let us come here every time you do good on a test," Kazuma teased, nudging her slightly with his hip.

"I'm sure you can think of another way to reward my successes," Yukina said innocently.

Kazuma imagined he could definitely think of a million ways to reward her...

"Oh my goodness!" Yukina's shrill cry shattered his thoughts and he jumped in surprise, pulling Yukina's arm to get her behind him, in a flash his spirit sword was in his hand and he glanced around quickly for danger.

"What!?" he asked in confusion, "I don't see anything!"

"Look in the sand over there," Yukina pointed around him towards a mound of sand that was moving, small creatures were wiggling their way out of the sand pile and were scooting towards the nearby tideline.

"Sea turtles!" Kazuma said happily, sheathing his sword and pulling "Look in the sand over there," Yukina pointed around him towards a mound of sand that was moving, small creatures were wiggling their way out of the sand pile and were scooting towards the nearby tideline.

"Sea turtles!" Kazuma said happily, sheathing his sword and pulling Yukina gently in the direction of the tiny turtles with a happy laugh.

"What are they?" Yukina asked in delight as she looked down at the baby turtles crawling as fast as they could with their little flippers.

"Turtles," Kazuma informed her, picking up a random turtle and handing it to her to investigate, "Their mom lays the eggs in the sand and buries them then she leaves, they hatch and dig their way out and make a run for the water. Most of them get eaten by birds before they can ever make it though, that's why the mom lays so many eggs, at least a few will get there."

Yukina looked at the advancing line of baby turtles with the saddest expression Kazuma had ever seen on her face and then she raised the turtle in her hands up to eye level and gave it a determined nod.

"You will all reach the water today!" she cried and took off running towards the ocean, staying beside the line of turtles as she went, her eyes scanning the sky. Sure enough, the seagulls had begun to gather in expectation of a feast. "Help me, Kazuma, we have to save them!"

Kazuma grinned and stood up from where he'd been squatting down to examine the turtles emerging from the sand, he looked up at the circling seagulls and immediately ran to a section of the turtle parade that one of the birds was diving for. He shouted threats at the birds and scared them back up then moved back to the sand pile to protect the newcomers. Yukina had released the turtle she was holding into the water and was now running back and forth along her section of the line, screaming angrily at the birds if they came too close and cheering on the advancing turtles. Kazuma had never seen anything quite as adorable as Yukina's angry, turtle protecting, bird-chasing dance. She jumped up and down and stomped her feet and flailed her arms, her hair flying every which way as she ran.

Yukina glanced back and smiled when she saw Kazuma had joined her in the protection of the baby turtles and she felt relief when she heard him announce that all the babies were out of the sand and they were almost all on their way towards the water, he then ran off to scoop up the few that had wandered off the path and were going the wrong way. Yukina sighed happily a few minutes later when Kazuma joined her by the ocean's edge and deposited the last handful of turtles in the water, they watched the tiny dots disappear beneath the waves with matching smiles.

"Poor seagulls," Yukina stated, "They will just have to find other food. Turtles are too cute to be eaten."

"People eat turtles," Kazuma commented.

Yukina was horrified!

"You don't eat them do you!?" she squealed, her eyes wide and frightened.

"No, no way!" Kazuma assured her, waving his arms in front of him to further dissuade her from launching an attack in case she was thinking of doing so, "I would never eat a turtle!"

"Good!" Yukina said firmly, "Just because humans CAN eat anything doesn't mean you SHOULD."

Kazuma laughed and put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, she giggled and nuzzled her face into his side, enjoying the warmth he always put off.

"Well, we did something good for the world today," he said happily, "Now where to?"

"Now that we've been talking about food, I'm starving!" Yukina stated, holding onto her rumbling stomach with an embarrassed look at the noise.

They made their way back to the house and Yukina was delighted when Kazuma suggested they pack a picnic and go lay out on the beach for a while. Yukina nodded excited and rushed off to the bedroom to unpack her swimsuit, then she ran to the bathroom to shed her shorts and t-shirt and slip on the suit. Botan had picked it out and Yukina had fallen absolutely in love with it: a one piece old-fashioned style halter-top, it was white with a pattern of cherries and leaves all over it and it really made her sea foam hair pop. She examined herself from every angle and smiled shyly when she imagined Kazuma's reaction, he would most definitely get that slack jawed, bug eyed look he always seemed to get when she wore anything that showed even a bit of skin.

Grinning, she trotted out to the main room with her flip flops in her hand and, sure enough, Kazuma's face took on exactly the look she imagined and his voice got an octave higher as he loudly told her how beautiful she looked. She found herself wondering why it had taken her so long to figure out how much he loved her...how had she missed it for so long?

"Go change, silly!" she giggled at his dreamy expression and pointed towards the bedroom, "You can't be laying around in the sand in jeans!"

Kazuma blinked a few times slowly, his gaze still locked on her legs and she wondered if he had even heard her. But he nodded lazily and walked down the hall with an odd type of walk and Yukina laughed slightly at his saunter. He re-emerged a few minutes later clad only in baggy, knee length blue and white Hawaiian flower print swim trunks; Yukina thought the look suited him very well as she admired his large and solid structure and his very defined muscles. He was giving her a knowing look as she scanned him up and down, her eyes coming to rest on his chest.

"Ok, ok," he looked off to the side and waved his hand dismissively, faking boredom at her visual assessment, "You can stare all you want later tonight, let's get some food in you!"

Yukina wondered vaguely what he meant by her having time to stare tonight, but her growling tummy made her mind go back to food and she headed towards the fridge and began pulling out sandwhich making supplies while Kazuma searched the cabinets. He grinned and pulled something off a high shelf: an actual picnic basket.

"Well played, Kurama," she heard him say quietly as he set the basket on the counter beside the bread Yukina was laying out to be filled with trimmings.

Soon they had several sandwiches, a bag of chips, two apples, four cans of soda and several bunches of green grapes packed up and ready to go. Yukina skipped towards the door and slipped into her flip flops, excitedly walking beside Kazuma as they made their way to the beach for their seaside picnic.

They remained on the beach for the entire rest of the day, swimming and building sand castles and pointing out cloud shapes and discussing all manner of barely even noticed how late it was until the sun began to sink towards the horizon, creating the most beautiful sunset Yukina had ever seen. The skyline lit up with reds and oranges and pinks and purples and yellows and shade of color she hadn't even known existed and had no name for...and she found herself remembering the old demon at the library's words, remembering her choice to dedicate herself to Kazuma; choosing to be with him over anything else.

She glanced over at him, her mind swirling with a million thoughts. He was leaning back on his palms, his long legs crossed at the ankles in front of him. His face was calm and peaceful as he watched the sunset, his lips turned up at the corner closest to her in a gentle smile, his eyes were focused on a far away point and half closed in relaxation. The ocean wind tossed his un-styled hair around his face and Yukina realized the color was much like that of the sunset which made her smile even more. He looked so different like this...so human.

Yukina felt something deep inside her stir and she glanced down at her tummy in surprise. It almost felt like it was doing flips.

"You hungry again?" Kazuma's unusually quiet voice made her look up to find him looking at her, her tummy flipped again.

"I...maybe..." she wasn't sure to be honest if that's what the flipping was about or if it was something else entirely. It didn't feel like hunger...

"Well then let's get you back to the house," Kazuma stood and twisted his torso, making several areas in his spine pop loudly. Yukina winced slightly at the sound, recalling the many times he'd broken bones in all his fights and that sound was very like the noise his bones made as they joined back together when she would heal him.

Silently, the pair made their way back to the house. Kazuma lit the lanterns as Yukina searched for something light to eat. She settled on making them both a salad and they munched in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"You're covered in sand, you know?" Kazuma said suddenly, breaking the quiet atmosphere. Yukina glanced down at her thighs and noticed he was right, white grains clung to her damp skin. "We should probably shower before we do anything else. Plus, we should start getting comfortable for bed."

Yukina felt a slight twinge of disappointment at the mention of going to sleep, but she had to agree that sitting around in sand covered swimwear was not the best way to spend their time.

"You go first," she said as she stood and took the plates to the sink, "I'll wash these and then take mine."

Kazuma agreed and gave her a kiss on the top of her head before heading to the bedroom to grab his usual sport pants and tattered t-shirt he always wore before bed. Yukina stood by the sink and began cleaning the plates, she heard the shower start up and she found herself suddenly wanting to be under the hot water and rinsing the sea salt from her hair, it felt coarse and dry after being outside all day.

Not too much later, Kazuma emerged from the bathroom and smiled at her as he fluffed his hair with a towel. He bowed and motioned with his hand that the shower was all hers and she happily grabbed her night clothes and rushed to the bathroom. She started the water running and turned to close the door.

"What's this?" she asked herself out loud as she spotted an article of clothing hanging on the back of the door. She gently removed the hanger from the hook and ran her hand over the beautiful ruby red material, it shone in the dim light of the bathroom as she shifted it around, it was smoother than anything she'd ever felt. A note was clipped to the tag on the inside.

 _For Yukina. Wear this tonight!_

With a small squeal of delight, she hung the item back on the door and looked at it from a step back. Kazuma must have left it here for her, how sweet of him! She smiled and pulled her swimsuit off, stepping into the shower with a sigh of relief as the hot water cascaded over her and wiped away the grime of the day.

After washing the sand out of her hair, scrubbing every inch of skin and shaving all unnecessary hairs, Yukina felt clean and soft and shiny, just like the piece of clothing she was looking forward to slipping into. She dried her skin thoroughly and slipped easily into her tiny new outfit.

"Oh my," she gasped as she looked in the mirror, "There really isn't much to this."

It looked like a very small dress, the hem only hit just below her butt and she blushed brightly as she bent slightly to test if it would reveal much...it did. The straps were thin and the neckline was deep, revealing a fair amount of cleavage. If that wasn't enough, one hip's worth of material was sheer red lace and the non-see through material only just covered an area she knew wasn't meant to be readily exposed. She wondered why on earth anyone would wear clothes that didn't even cover anything, but then she shrugged and smiled slightly. It _was_ very beautiful though and it made her feel...very nice about herself.

Yukina pushed her now wavy and wet hair back from her face and smiled at her reflection before hanging her swimsuit over the shower curtain rod to dry and then walking out of the bathroom to thank Kazuma for the tiny dress.

She stopped short as she came around the corner, he was nowhere to be seen. She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion until she noticed a strange glow from the now open side door that led out to a patio that overlooked the ocean and was surrounded by tropical flower plants that she knew Kurama had planted special for his mother to look at when she came here with his father. Quietly, Yukina tip toed to investigate the glow and her heart jumped to her throat at what she found when she peaked around the doorway.

There was a table on the patio with two very comfy looking chairs on either side, a lovely bunch of dark red roses stood in a clear vase and a box wrapped in a pink bow sat next to them beautifully scented candles lined the patio and that's where the soft glow was coming from. Kazuma stood looking out towards the ocean, rocking back and forth from heels to toes, muttering quietly to himself.

Yukina smiled, knowing he'd set this up while she was showering. She relaxed and moved to stand fully in the doorway and cleared her throat softly to get his attention without scaring him. He turned his head towards her small sound and his eyes went wide when he saw her. His expression changed to one Yukina had never seen before, there was something about it that made her feel very nervous, it was almost a look of...hunger? No, that wasn't right, it was something else, something new. He took a deep breath and let it out in a long, shaky exhale then shook his head hard as if to clear it of some intense thoiught.

"Wow, Yukina...you look...oh man..." he was trying very hard to form a coherent sentence and he hadn't stopped staring at her with that look even now, "You look...so amazing."

Yukina blushed and ducked her head slightly, looking up at him from under her lashes.

"Thank you, Kazuma," she said softly, "This tiny dress is lovely, thank you for buying it for me."

His look changed into one of confusion for a moment but he recovered quickly and gave her a soft smile.

"You're welcome," he said calmly, "It, uh, wow...it looks really, _really_ good on you."

Yukina giggled and approached the table to examine the roses and she could have sworn she heard him mutter something about "being better off you" but she wasn't positive if she'd actually heard it or if she'd just imagined that.

"You set this up while I was showering?" she asked, glancing around the patio again. She could hear the rush of the waves on the beach from here and she loved it. "It's so nice here, Kazuma...oh, wow, look at the sky!"

She walked to the edge of the patio and look upwards, taking in the wide open sky that was littered with stars and a bright nearly full moon. She felt Kazuma approach behind her and the next thing she knew his arms had wrapped around her from behind and she relaxed into his embrace with a content sigh.

"That is so beautiful," she whispered out loud, admiring the far away lights of space.

"The moon and stars are nowhere near as beautiful as you," Kazuma said softly, he rested his chin on top of her head and he pulled her a little closer. Yukina felt heat rolling off him like never before and she realized suddenly that it wasn't actually his body heat she was feeling...it was his energy and it was so intense that she was feeling it with her own energy. She suddenly realized they had just connected in a way she'd never known before and she also realized what that strange tummy feeling was...she'd felt it before. She twisted in his arms, turning to face him.

"Kazuma?" she whispered softly, looking up to make sure he knew she was being completely honest with him. "I love you more than I ever thought possible. I...I have never felt anything like this in my life and...I think that only you can make me feel like this."

Kazuma's mouth twitched into a smile and she saw excitement flicker in his eyes as he waited for her to continue. She bit her bottom lip, nervous as hell at what she was about to say.

"I'm ready."

She waited for his reaction, not knowing exactly what to expect. He just looked at her for a long moment, his eyes searching hers with a questioning hesitation, then he smiled the biggest smile she'd ever seen him smile before and he had leaned down to kiss her before she could even react. Surprised, but pleased, she kissed him back. But it wasn't long before she realized the kiss was taking on a completely different feel than any kiss before, an emotion she had not yet experienced was obvious in the way his mouth was moving against hers and she felt a little lost. He must have noticed because he stopped and leaned back to look at her again.

"Are you sure?" he asked breathlessly. Yukina thought carefully for a moment, but the hopeful and happy look in his eyes was all the encouragement she needed to make a final decision. She nodded silently, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him back down for another kiss.

Instead of just a kiss though, Yukina found herself swept off her feet and pressed firmly into the wall, her legs forced apart by the push of his hips against her thighs. Her eyes widened at the sudden exposure to the night air as her tiny dress was slid up by his hand, but she realized she very much liked the feeling and she couldn't help the excited gasp that came from her throat. She felt so fragile and small between Kazuma's massive body and the wall, but it was an absolutely intoxicating feeling of helplessness that she found herself wanting so much more of.

"Yukina?" Kazuma's voice made her open her eyes and she found herself locked in his stare, his eyes dilated and desperate looking, he was breathing hard from the force of his kisses she guessed. His voice though...it was completely foreign to her ears. He had a deep voice all the time, but it had deepened even more and it was smooth as silk in her ears, making that little flip in her tummy become a raging fire. "You wanna go inside?"

Yukina nodded desperately and she reached up and slid her hands up the back of his neck, grabbing a firm handful of his thick, ginger hair and leaning forward to kiss him firmly again. She felt a very firm and insistent twitch against her inner thigh and she felt a shock of energy run through her at the feeling. With a grunt, Kazuma backed away from the wall, his hands cupped her butt to keep her in the same position against him as he effortlessly carried her through the house towards the bedroom.

Yukina gasped slightly when she felt herself being tilted backwards, but then she felt her back connect to the cool sheets of the bed and she realized at some point before all this he had turned down the covers...almost like he knew this would happen.

"Did you know I would decided I was ready tonight?" she whispered as he leaned back to look down at her, the glow on his face made her realize there were candles lit in here as well.

"I...didn't _know_ ," he said quietly, "But I _hoped_ you would."

Yukina considered this statement for a moment but her thoughts were cut off when he stood up, towering over her from where she lay. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it off to the side without a care, but his hands hesitated at the waist of his pants, midway through pushing them down his hips. Yukina's eyes dropped from his face to the now very noticeable lump in his pants and she gulped nervously...she had an idea of what to expect but she still hadn't seen a completely naked human male in real life.

Kazuma must have noticed her unsure emotions because he slipped his thumbs out of his waistband and ruffled the hair on the back of his neck nervously, blushing brightly even in the candlelight. Yukina felt bad for making him feel unsure and she knew exactly how to remedy it, she got onto her knees on the bed and grabbed the hem of her tiny dress and yanked it up and off quickly before she could lose her nerve. It worked, his expression changed from unsure to shocked and awed in a heartbeat and Yukina barely had time to let out a squeal before she was pulled to her feet and stood in the center of the room, Kazuma held her at arm's length and then stepped back to look at her. He scanned every inch of her with such focus that she began to feel like piece of art...

"Oh man," he whispered softly, his eyes locked at the junction of her legs, "Yukina...I can't believe how lucky I am."

Yukina felt a giggle making its way up her throat but she swallowed it, not wanting to make him think she thought it was funny. This wasn't funny...this the most serious moment Yukina had ever felt.

"Your turn," she whispered, and she meant it. She wanted to know, she wanted the big, long awaited mystery to be a brand new discovery for her instead, she couldn't wait for this experience. Her body was telling her that, as scary as this was, this was one hundred percent right.

Kazuma didn't react right away, he was still scanning her body with need filled eyes, but then he grinned and hooked his thumbs in his waistband yet again, but this time he yanked the obviously hindering pants down and kicked them aside. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, waiting anxiously for Yukina's reaction.

"Oh..." Yukina breathed quietly. She was surprised at first, her eyes adjusting to the brand new image in front of her, but she realized he was clenching his jaw and holding his breath in anticipation, "Wow..."

Kazuma peeked at her with one eye and he must have realized she wasn't totally freaked out because he let out the breath he was holding and relaxed his jaw. He relaxed visibly and began shifting his weight as he waited for her to finish examining him.

Yukina barely noticed she had moved, but she was right in front of him and her eyes were greedily taking in every, _every_ , inch of him. She realized suddenly how unobservant she had been before now...she was seeing everything about him in a whole new, highly appreciative way. Her eyes raised to his chest and she realized suddenly just how defined his muscles were and she reached up to gently trace every line on his skin she saw. Scars...he had so many scars...how had she not noticed before?! Two thin and faded white lines crossed his left pectoral and another single one crossed his right, claw marks from Byakko's monster beasts, she knew there were identical lines across his back from their claws as well. Her fingers slid up his chest and down his arms, small circular scars where Elder Toguro's disgusting fingers had gone all the way through him multiple times. A larger grouping of scar tissue just left of his sternum where Younger Toguro had shoved his fingers into his chest cavity, inches from his heart. Multiple little lines and marks covered his abdomen and legs as well...but her eyes returned to their original focus again and she tentatively reached out, her finger brushing this newfound area of skin, but she found her hand suddenly caught tightly in Kazuma's hand.

"Sorry," she whispered, "I just wanted to..."

Kazuma laughed once and it sounded strained, he was looking down at her with an uneasy grin.

"It's ok, just...be gentle, please," he said as he released her hand, "I've...never done this before either, ya know?"

This slightly surprised Yukina. She knew he'd never been with another girl like this but surely he'd messed around with a human or two before meeting her? She cocked her head questioningly but he just shrugged and looked slightly embarrassed.

"I'm glad," she whispered, dropping her eyes downward to examine him closer, "For some reason...that makes me feel special."

She heard him breath out in a relaxed kind of way and she continued her attempt to touch him, running her fingertips from the bump of his left hip all the way down the rather intimidating length of his newly exposed appendage. She was slightly surprised when it reacted to her touch but she realized she liked that she could cause that to happen, it made her feel like she had a bit of power in this situation, Keiko had explained that it was a very, very sensitive part of a male and a girl could make a man do nearly anything in the world when she learned a few tricks. Boldly, she changed her style of exploration and wrapped her entire hand around him, surprised when her fingers would not reach her palm.

"Oh, fuck me," Kazuma sighed gruffly, making Yukina look up in surprise. He rarely used bad language and _never_ in her presence. He noticed her shocked look and he laughed slightly, "Sorry...but, uh, can we...?"

Yukina released her hold on him and nodded, suddenly remembering there was so much more to this. Kazuma took the lead and gently pushed her back towards the bed, scooping her up when the back of her ankles hit the platform and laying her down gently on the mattress. He began kissing her again, but this time his hands began to wander even more, exploring every inch if her they could reach and Yukina felt her eyes rolling back into her head as flashes of pleasure shot through her from the motions of his hands.

"You sure you're ready?" his voice surprised her and she opened her eyes again, "Yukina, I love you so much and I really do want to do this with you...but you know I'll love you even if you tell me no. I just want you to know we can stop at any time, all you have to do is tell me."

Yukina felt his hand trembling on the lowest part of her abdomen, his palm rested softly on her freshly trimmed pubic area.

"I'm sure, Kazuma," she assured him, she was actually getting really tired of him asking her this! "I want this just as much as you! I know you would never hurt me."

"Um..." he was looking at her with concern, "I...can't promise this won't hurt."

"I know. Keiko told me the first time is sort of uncomfortable. I will probably bleed. I admit, I am concerned slightly about your size..."

She suddenly remembered the time she'd listened in on Risa's group's gossip, they'd said she was too small for him. She started to giggle and she knew Kazuma was remembering it too because he grinned at her and shook his head with a laugh.

"Don't think about those idiots," he said calmly, "I promise, if you get uncomfortable at any time you just tell me and we'll work it out, alright?"

Yukina nodded, she was so tired of talking, she wanted action!

"Stop talking!" she whined, wiggling her hips against his palm.

"Yes, ma'am," Kazuma winked at her and he removed his hand from her pelvis and raised it to his face. Yukina was surprised when he stuck his entire index finger into his mouth and removed it again then slipped that hand between them, she jerked in surprised when she felt his hand slip between her legs and press insistently into the center of the junction. She felt every bit of desire pool exactly where he was touching and she knew this was going to be a whole new ballgame. He never looked away from her face as his hand moved with purpose and she felt his fingertips gently pushing into her, she gasped and he waited patiently before continuing moving his fingertips. He moved his index finger in a gentle small circle, letting her get used to the feeling of being touched at all before he gently slid it inside, watching for her reaction.

Yukina gasped at the sensation of being invaded like this, it was...so strange yet so good! When he became emboldened enough to curl that finger in a "come hither" motion, Yukina's hips shot off the bed, shocking them both with the intensity of the reaction.

"Whoa, hey," Kazuma uncurled his finger, "Good or bad?"

"Very good!" Yukina assured him breathlessly as she tried to relax, "I just...didn't know that would feel so good!"

She heard him sniff a little laugh before he began to pull his finger back, then slide it in, the motion smooth and gentle at first but increasing in speed and intensity as Yukina's breathing and pleased sounds encouraged him. She felt him remove his hand completely and she only barely registered he'd licked his middle finger until he was sliding both fingers inside her, filling her up in a whole new way.

"Oh my god!" she gasped at the feeling of her muscles stretching slightly to accommodate his long fingers, he was grinning at her and she felt completely giddy as he worked them inside her, teasing her and not quite fulfilling her like she wanted. "Kazuma...I need...I need..."

"Yeah?" he asked softly, and he grinned like a fox as he added his thumb to the dance, pressing into her clit with gentle but firm pressure. It had the effect he wanted, the slick wetness around his fingers increased and he knew he'd struck gold.

Yukina thought she would pop if he didn't stop so she tried to wiggle away but his other hand shot up to hold her in place and he laughed.

"Stop, Kazuma," she gasped as his thumb rolled to the side.

She realized she'd maybe said that a bit too firmly when he removed both hands from her body quicker than she knew was possible, he rolled over to the side and held his palms up.

"Sorry," he said apologetically, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, no," she giggled at the look on his face, "Don't stop completely! Just...it feels like you're teasing me. I want...I..."

"You sure?"

"Yes...please?" Yukina gave him the most pleading and desperate face she could manage. It worked, she was pinned beneath him in a second and her lips were caught in kiss so full of heat and need that it took her breath away. She felt him position himself over her, pressing the tip of his cock into her in a way that practically begged her to let him in...so she did. She slid her legs apart, going against every fiber of her ice maiden instincts that were screaming at her to run away, and she locked eyes with him and nodded firmly.

"Remember," he whispered as he reached between them to help himself along, "Tell me if you need me to stop."

Yukina braced herself for the pain she knew was coming...and it certainly did. She couldn't stop the sharp cry from coming out of her mouth when he finally pushed into her his a smooth roll of his hips. He immediately stopped his movement and looked at her in concern.

"Oh, holy Koenma," Yukina hissed, trying desperately to breathe through the pain she was feeling. She swore something was going to tear down there. There was no way he could fit, was there? "Please don't move, please don't move."

"Ok," Kazuma said through clenched teeth, his eyes were squeezed shut and he was tensed up in every way possible.

Yukina waited, breathing slowly and purposely as she rode out the pain...it was slowly fading to discomfort as her muscles adjusted. God, maybe Risa's crew had been right.

"You alright, baby?" Kazuma whispered gently. Yukina nodded quickly.

"Yes, I...I'm getting used to it," she assured him, "I am not giving up. Ok, you can continue."

She was somewhat surprised when he didn't question her, he just moved his hips forward slightly watching her face as it twisted painfully.

A few more minutes of adjusting and a few tears gems rolling onto the sheets later, Yukina finally felt the pain ebb away and she was shocked when she felt...pleasure.

"Oh..." she gasped as his most recent movement made a jolt of intense goodness shoot through her nerves, "Oh...wow...I...I think we're good..."

"Really?" Kazuma seemed surprised, but he grinned wickedly at her and gave a few experimental pumps in and out to test this statement. Her reaction was all the affirmation he needed.

It didn't last long...he knew it wouldn't. Once he got into a rhythm and Yukina began to make soft whining noises and pleased moans he knew it was only a matter of seconds before he would come like a twelve year old. And he did.

Sighing heavily and breathing rapidly, gasping and sucking in as much air as he could, he rolled off to the side to avoid crushing Yukina's tiny form underneath him as all his strength disappeared as soon as he came down from the high.

"Shit," he muttered grimly, "I forgot the ladies come first rule."

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 **Ok, so...I have a migraine right now so my writing is not top notch. This whole scene feels awkward but then I remembered that first time sex IS super awkward and not sexy and not awesome.**

 **So, don't kill me for this chapter, there will be better ones because sex only gets better with time. Trust me.**

 **I tried to write this through both of their eyes as best as I could in my current state, so I hope I did it a bit of justice at least.**

 **Let me know what you thought and I promise the next one will be better!**


	18. Discovery

**Been tossing this chapter around in my mind for a little while trying to decide how to fit it all together and such, sorry it took a while to get up!**

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The next morning, Yukina woke up first. She felt sort of stiff and as soon as she became fully aware and awake she realized how sore and tender she was, she hissed slightly as she rolled onto her side to look over at Kazuma. He was on his back, the sheets pulled up to his hips, limbs askew, his mouth slightly open which was resulting in an occasional rumbling snore that made her smile and giggle.

She thought back to the events of last night and blinked slowly, images flooded her mind and sighed happily. It had definitely been something special, just like Kazuma had always promised her it would be and she couldn't help but think of Hiei's opposite opinion on the matter...he made her it sound as if it was bad and something to be afraid of. It crossed her mind that this must be how her mother had felt...torn between the approval of her family and the love of her partner.

Had her mother felt this way the next morning when she and Hiei had been conceived? Had she felt happy and peaceful like Yukina was feeling now or was she afraid and concerned about her family's reaction? Yukina imagined Hiei's reaction when he found out about this...but she wasn't afraid of Hiei, he had a kinder heart than he ever let show.

Yukina felt something hard near her pillow and she brushed her hand there to pick up whatever her cheek had come to rest on. It was a tear gem that she'd shed in the middle of their intimacy last night, she held it up and examined it in the morning light...this was a strange gem indeed. It was a slightly different color and shape of the tears she made when she was sad.

"Whatcha doin?" Kazuma's scratchy morning voice made her nearly drop the gem and she enclosed it firmly in her palm.

"I was just looking at this," she told him, reopening her hand for him to see. He looked very guilty when he saw the small, pearlescent gem in her palm and he sighed.

"Are you ok this morning?" he asked in concern, noticing the odd way she was laying.

"Just tender," she assured him, "I'm sure that's to be expected."

"Guess so," he didn't sound convinced but she was glad he didn't press her for any more details, "Sorry I passed out right afterwards."

"Keiko tells me all men fall asleep after sex," Yukina shrugged good naturedly.

"It won't be like this next time," Kazuma promised as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his palms, "I promise, it'll be a lot better. There's a lot of stuff I forgot to do."

 _Next time?_ Yukina wondered when that would be, it wasn't like they had much privacy back home...she couldn't imagine doing what they'd done last night with Shizuru just in the next room.

"I mean...only if you even _want_ to do it again," Kazuma stated quickly, seeing the thoughtful and concerned look on her face. Yukina blinked, clearing her thoughts, and looked at him...he looked worried.

"Of course I do," she assured him, scooting closer to his side to wrap her hands around his upper arm...or at least attempt to, her hands weren't exactly big enough to reach all the way around, "What makes you think I wouldn't?"

Kazuma gave her a look that clearly said _"You're joking, right?"_ and Yukina huffed in disbelief at his sudden display of self doubt.

"Why do you put yourself down like this sometimes?" she asked quietly.

"Well...I just...can't believe a girl like you would ever want a guy like me," Kazuma replied hesitantly, "I mean...you could literally have anyone you wanted."

"I do," Yukina replied without a second thought, "I have exactly what I want. There's no one else out there who could possibly compare to you, Kazuma. You literally rescued me from a fate worse than death, you make me laugh, you make me feel safe, you make me feel beautiful..."

"You are beautiful!" Kazuma immediately assured her.

"Thank you," Yukina blushed lightly and gave him a soft smile, "You want to know a secret?"

Kazuma nodded eagerly and Yukina dramatically leaned over to whisper into his ear.

"I think you're hotter than even Kurama."

Yukina didn't expect the loud and sudden burst of hysteric laughter that burst from him and she squealed in surprise when he fell back into a laying position and took her down with him, pulling her onto him and holding her very close and tight. She raised her head to look at him and found him smiling broadly down his chest at her.

"I find that really hard to believe," he said, not sounding at all like he expected it to be true, "You should see the girls flock to him when we hang out together. Never happens to me."

Yukina squinted in annoyance at his subtle dismissal of her admission.

"Well it doesn't matter what other girls do or think," she informed him sternly, "I said _I_ think you're hotter, and I know for a fact girls pay more attention to you than you seem to notice."

"Risa doesn't count," Kazuma joked.

"Stop it, Kazuma," Yukina began to get concerned by his jovial attitude towards her comments, she was being serious! Her tone made him lose the snarky look and his face became calm and serious.

"Sorry," he said gently, he looked off to the right and avoided eye contact, "I just...I've never been the "hot" one so...it's hard to accept it even when you say it."

Yukina grabbed his face in both hands and turned his head to look at him in the eyes.

"Well, you better believe it," she stated firmly, "I'm not just being nice, I mean every word I say."

"Ok," he whispered, wide eyed and surprised by her rather strong grip.

Yukina released his face and gave him a quick kiss before rolling off his chest and standing up to collect her clothes from the dresser where she'd laid them. She pulled her jeans on, feeling slightly nervous as she felt Kazuma watching her every move.

"Oh," Yukina had a thought and she turned to face him with a teasing grin, "Also, if any girls _do_ start flocking to you...I may have to injure them."

Kazuma chuckled and reached out to grab his jeans and boxers off the floor. He swung his legs off the bed and stood up quickly, jumping slightly to yank both layers up all the way before turning around to search for the shirt he'd discarded last night. Yukina liked this look, bare torso with that light trail of hair trailing down to disappear under the good fitting jeans hanging low on his hips, barefoot and sporting an unkempt mop of ginger bed head, his eyes bright from a good night's sleep.

"What?" Kazuma asked, giving her a knowing grin, "Should I not bother with the shirt?"

"I'd be just fine with that," Yukina replied happily, giving him a wink.

Kazuma smiled a crooked smile and leaned down to collect his shirt anyway, tossing it in her direction.

"Then do me a favor," he stated, "You wear it instead."

Yukina looked down at the very oversized gray shirt in her hands in confusion. She recognized it as the t-shirt he'd worn when they fought with Sensui, still torn in the same places...she wondered why he'd never bothered to fix the holes. She shrugged, having not put her own shirt on yet, and slipped it over her head. She giggled, it was like wearing a dress.

Kazuma grinned and walked around the bed to her side, his finger on the side of his cheek and his expression one of overdramatic contemplation. He gave her a wicked grin and then scooped her up before she could even ask what he was looking at, laying her back down on the bed and kneeling between her legs. She felt his hands pop the button on her jeans and she felt slightly panicked, hoping he wasn't planning to repeat last night's events...she was far too sore to even consider it this morning!

"I don't think..." she started to tell him her fears but her jeans were quickly removed and Kazuma stood back up, pulling her into a standing position with him.

"Don't worry, I know," he assured her with a wink, "I just...call it a fantasy...there's just something really hot about your girl wearing nothing but your shirt."

Yukina looked down at herself and didn't find anything sexy about her appearance...but she assumed he knew best when it came to finding her attractive so she just accepted it.

"Ok, I guess it's a guy thing," she said with a small laugh, realizing one large rip in the chest area just barely missed showing more of her left breast than a shirt should.

"Definitely. Hey, I'm gonna jump in the shower, but don't make breakfast because I want to make it for you!"

Yukina looked at him for a moment, and he wondered what was going on in her mind, then she smiled a shy smile and looked down at the floor.

"We could save some time and shower together," she offered. She felt nervous about asking for some reason...after last night, why would taking a shower together feel so intimate?

Kazuma was surprised by her bold offer. He was still fairly shocked and pleased that they'd actually seltp together the night before...and now she wanted to shower together? He felt a little glow of pride in his chest, it must not have been completely terrible for her last night. He looked at her now and squinted one eye at her, his mind flooded with images of her perfect nude body in the candlelight and comparative images of her in the bright light of the shower with soap suds sliding down her skin.

"Kazuma?" Yukina's questioning voice made him shake the images from his mind, his body had already begun to react to his imagination and he grinned at her quickly to reassure her.

"You have the best ideas, baby," he stated with a grin. He stepped forward and scooped her off her feet, making her squeal and carried her down the hall, bridal style, to the bathroom and set her down with a laugh.

Yukina giggled as well and immediately shed his oversized shirt, filling his hungry eyes with her tiny naked form as she bent over to adjust the water temperature. Kazuma grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked it harshly, trying his best not to let his mind go places it shouldn't. God, she was a little bit infuriating with her naive mentality, not knowing what her little ass sticking out like that was causing in his brain and his pants.

Or maybe she _did_ because she turned her head at that very moment and gave him a wink and a smile then straightened up quickly, leaving him slightly thunderstruck.

"Come on, Kazuma," she said softly, "Or are you gonna stand there all night and just stare?"

Absolutely not!

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Yukina wrapped her hair in a towel after pulling the oversized t-shirt back on, the two of them brushed their teeth together, giggling at each other's faces as they did, and then they headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

"No, no," Kazuma gently pushed on her shoulders as Yukina began to head for the refrigerator, "I'll make breakfast, you just relax, ok?"

Yukina blinked up at him and smiled, nodding in agreement. She gingerly sat down, cross-legged, at the short table and gasped slightly as her tender spots bumped the heel of her foot. Damn...she would have to be more careful not to do that again.

"You ok?" Kazuma was looking down at her with concern, a carton of eggs in his hands.

"Yes," Yukina assured him, "Just...bumped myself and it hurt a little."

Reluctantly and guiltily, Kazuma turned back around and began cracking eggs into a bowl. After a while, Yukina had a plate with pancakes and eggs in front of her and Kazuma sat across from her with a grin, waiting for her to try it out.

"These are amazing!" Yukina squealed as she swallowed a bite of pancake, "Can you make these for me every day?"

"If you want me to," Kazuma grinned.

Yukina poked her eggs with her fork, thoughtfully.

"Kazuma? What are we going to tell everyone when we go back home?" she asked, feeling slightly nervous at the thought of everyone knowing what had happened. She wasn't ashamed, but...it just seemed like something that was between the two of them.

"Well, we can tell them as much or as little as you want to," he said calmly, "I don't think we should announce it or anything but I guarantee they're all going to assume a lot once they know we were here alone."

"But that's none of their business," Yukina commented.

"I'd say we most likely won't have to say a single word," Kazuma grumbled, "They'll all figure it out on their own."

Kazuma imagined his sister's teasing and Urameshi's snarky comments and his dirty minded assumptions...he was not looking forward to either one. And Hiei...he knew he should be terrified to face the little guy but something inside him felt completely confident about the inevitable meeting with his girl's brother.

"Now that I look back, I think our friends have been trying to get us together for a long time," Yukina commented, breaking him from his thoughts of Hiei, "They are good friends. They are very involved in our relationship."

"A little _too_ involved, if you ask me," Kazuma muttered, thinking back to Yusuke's trick of helping Yukina with her anatomy homework.

Yukina giggled and silently agreed.

"So, what are we going to do today?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Just lay around and take it easy," Kazuma replied quickly, "Something tells me you shouldn't be doing too much running around today. Anyway, I'm gonna make you dinner tonight and show off my impressive chef skills."

"Sounds like a great plan," Yukina sighed happily, "Yesterday wore me out with all that running around on the beach."

She stood up and was about to grab her plate to take it to the sink but Kazuma's hand shot out to stop her.

"No, don't worry about it," he said quickly, "I'll get them. I'll clean up."

Yukina smiled softly, but let him do his thing. He always seemed to want to do all the work for some reason, she figured it was another one of those human male things. She left him to clean up and headed out to examine the plants in the garden.

Kazuma watched her go with a smile and took his plate to the sink then returned to the table to grab his plate. He picked up the plate and looked down in surprise as his entire arm began to tingle, as he eyed his arm suspiciously it began to glow a bright yellow and the plate he was holding shattered into a million pieces.

"Oh shit!" Kazuma yelped, jumping back in surprise and staring, wide-eyed at the splinters of glass on the table. What the hell had just happened? His arm continued to glow and he stared at in fear, holding it as far away from him as he could. He squeaked and ran towards the patio to find Yukina.

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Yukina leaned over the railing of the patio and stared out at the beach, admiring the bright blue of the sky this morning and watching a family playing with their dog in the sand by the water. This was a beautiful place and she found herself wishing she could live in a place like this.

This weekend with Kazuma had been lovely so far, relaxing and laid-back and she was not looking forward to going back home and school again. Being out here with him, alone and together was something special to her and she imagined it was special to him as well.

She knew a little about human marriages thanks to Keiko and Yusuke's engagement...was that what would happen with her and Kazuma eventually? She liked the idea of them having their own home together...and she found herself imagining their future. Would she agree to this marriage ritual if he chanced to ask her someday? Yes, she decided, it would make him happy and that was important...and she knew it would make her happy as well.

"YUKINA!" Kazuma's terrified shriek made Yukina jump and she stood up quickly from where she was bent over to examine a rose bush and she whipped around to see what he was yelling about. She gasped and her eyes went wide when she saw Kazuma standing there with his entire left forearm glowing a bright golden color.

"Kazuma...what are you doing?" she asked, cocking her eyebrow, "What is going on with your energy? It feels so different!"

"I...I don't know," Kazuma replied nervously, "It feels so weird! And I can't make it stop right now!"

As if in response to his worry, his arm ceased to glow and he breathed out in relief, his shoulder sagging as he shook his head in confusion. He muttered about it being weird and then he looked up and his eyes got wide and excited.

"Oh my god!" he yelled loudly, making Yukina jolt in shock at the volume of his voice, "Oh wow...I need to test this out!"

Yukina smiled at his excitement.

"So, let's go test it!" she said, feeling excited herself for some reason. She could feel the power of his energy from all the way over in the garden as he stood on the patio, it felt unlike anything she'd ever felt before, it wasn't spirit energy and it wasn't demon energy...it was something on a whole new level. "I'll spar with you if you'd like."

Kazuma looked at her incredulously.

"Oh...no, no," he said quickly, "I can't do that. I might hurt you."

"You won't," Yukina assured him with a smile, "I trust you."

Kazuma considered his options for a moment and eventually he reluctantly agreed with the condition of no physical contact, ranged attacks only.

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Later on as the sun began to set, the two of them walked down to the beach and made sure the coast was clear to practice.

"Ok," Yukina turned to face him and made a hand motion for him to back up a ways as she backed up herself, putting quite a large distance between them. This energy of his honestly made her feel nervous but she was also very excited to see what the results would be. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Kazuma muttered, "But I still don't like this. What if I hurt you?"

"Stop worrying and defend yourself," Yukina snapped, knowing she had to put on a bold front and show him she was not a fragile little child. She raised her hand and aimed her palm at the ocean, causing several splashes of water to freeze into shards of sharp ice, waving her hand to bring them close to her where they floated, waiting. She let out a yell and thrust her palm forward, sending the ice shards zooming in Kazuma's direction.

Kazuma took a deep breath as he watched the pieces of ice raise from the water and he planted his feet wide in the sand to improve his balance, waiting eagerly for Yukina's attack. When she launched the ice towards him, he instinctively raised his left arm and closed his eyes tight...the sound of shattering ice reached his ears and he felt tiny flakes of cold hit his skin.

"Wow!" Yukina called out excitedly, "That was cool!"

Kazuma opened his eyes and saw a sheer wall of shimmering gold energy in front of him, an energy shield. The ice sparks had shattered against the energy with no effect at all. Kazuma laughed excitedly and punched the air.

"Ok, again!" he said, getting back into position.

"Alright," Yukina warned him, "I'm going to send you one big piece this time."

She formed the large hunk of ice and aimed it in his direction, then she flung it at him. Kazuma's left palm glowed a bright golden orange the color of flames and Yukina's jaw dropped in awe at the spirit sword that leapt into his hands.

Kazuma sliced easily through the chunk of ice with the ease of slicing through butter and he raised his eyes to the sword he was holding. He was shocked...he hadn't even had to think about summoning it, it had just come to him as if he had simply formed it with a thought. The sword in his hands was not his normal spirit sword and it was not the Jigen Tou either...it was something completely new. It was fully formed like a real sword, the exact same golden yellow of the energy that had surrounded his arm earlier, it lacked any sign of energy spikes on the blade which was smooth and looked solid, the hilt in his palm glowed a bright, fiery red.

"That...that looks almost like you're holding a regular human made sword," Yukina commented in awe as she ran up to investigate, "But the energy it's putting out is incredible!"

"I...I think I know what's going on," Kazuma said quietly, examining the sword closer, "I didn't want to tell you but...Hiei told me I had to master the Sacred Energy to have his permission to be with you."

"I thought he already gave you permission!" Yukina said angrily, crossing her arms.

"He did...but then after the Risa incident he felt I couldn't protect you," Kazuma informed her, "He said this was the only way a human could be strong enough to protect a demon. After fighting with Sensui...I know he's right."

"Are you alright?" Yukina asked suddenly, her eyes full of concern, "Whoa, Kazuma!"

Kazuma felt his energy suddenly drain away from the prolonged presence of the sword in his hand and it disappeared in a flicker, he felt his legs shake in the effort of standing and he gasped at the sudden feeling of weakness.

"I'm ok, Yukina," he said quickly, steadying himself, "Just too much too fast."

"Come on," Yukina insisted, taking his hand and pulling him towards the house, "No more practice for you tonight. Remember, you promised to make me dinner."

Together they made their way back to the house, both full of excitement at the day's unexpected events.

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Kazuma made good on his promise and Yukina found herself staring at a plate completely full of amazing food, the paper lanterns filling the room with a beautiful red glow, Kazuma sitting next to her with his mouth already stuffed full of food.

"I'm very proud of you, Kazuma," she said as she picked up her chopsticks to dig in to the amazing looking dinner, "I didn't realize you'd been practicing so hard. But...you've only been working on it for a week, how did you manage to learn all of this in so short a time?"

Kazuma popped a shrimp in his mouth and chewed silently and thoughtfully, he swallowed and then nodded to himself.

"I've been wondering that too and I think I have an idea," he replied, "I started learning it for your sake, because I want so badly to be able to protect you. I've always wanted that...but last night, what we did, was a connection to you on a whole new level and I think our connection gave me the strength I needed. Whenever I practiced before, I always felt there was a sort of barrier in the way...like, I could _feel_ the energy but I couldn't reach it."

Yukina listened in awe, remembering the connection she had felt to his energy the night before...it had felt different then too but she was too distracted to notice. Had she really awoken something in him during that event?

"But last night...I never knew I could feel so close to someone," Kazuma continued, blushing as he spoke, "I knew that all I could ever want was to keep you safe, to keep you with me...and I believe it's something like when my spirit awareness realized my need with the Jigen Tou before I did and changed me without me knowing."

Yukina had heard the story of Kazuma's discovery of the Dimension Sword many times and she had to admit that it sounded like this theory was very possible. She always had known Kazuma was strong, even when everyone else had doubted him and criticized him and told him he was weak and foolish...she had always known there was something deep inside him more powerful than anyone else seemed to notice.

Kazuma was looking at his arm with a smile, letting a tiny amount of energy form on his palm and Yukina smiled at the child-like excitement in his eyes.

After dinner, the two of them cuddled close on the couch, their eyes focused on the entrancing flickers of the flames in the fireplace, the only sounds were the crackles and the roar of the waves in the distance.

"Yukina," Kazuma whispered, brushing a strand of hair behind his girl's ear, "I...I wanted to thank you..."

Yukina looked up at him from where her head was settled in his lap.

"Thank me?" she asked, confused. He sounded so serious.

"Yeah," Kazuma continued quietly, "You're an amazing girl, you know it? Ever since I first saw you...you made me stronger. You've always made me feel like I could do anything when you're around. Last night, well...you made me feel like a whole new man."

"Because of the energy?" Yukina asked gently.

"Well, yeah, but in every way possible too," Kazuma assured her, "Thank you for giving me a chance and for believing in me when no one else does...and, obviously, for the sex."

Yukina giggled and smiled.

"I will give you more of all of those things," she promised happily, "But not tonight, I am far too sore."

"Of course not, silly," Kazuma poked her nose with his fingertip and chuckled, "And that's fine."

"I want to though," Yukina admitted, blushing and avoiding his eyes, "I...really think it was fun."

"Well...I mean...we can do other stuff," Kazuma offered hopefully.

"Yes, Yusuke mentioned many different things to try," Yukina suddenly remembered back to her bird and bees conversation with Urameshi.

Kazuma was about to ask her if she had any ideas when a loud knock on the door made them both jump off the couch in shock. Kazuma rolled his eyes at the familiar presences he sensed and sat back down with a groan.

"Better go let them in," he muttered and Yukina skipped over to open the door to reveal Botan, Keiko and Yusuke standing in the entryway.

"Hi, Yukina!" Botan said cheerily, "Kurama told us we'd find you two here."

Kazuma made a mental note to have stern words with Kurama when they got home tomorrow.

"Yeah, we went over to see if the two of you wanted to go to a movie and Kurama told us about your romantic weekend getaway," Keiko stated.

Yusuke plopped heavily down on the couch next to Kazuma and nudged him in the arm with his elbow.

"Well?" he asked, his eyes aglow with perverted glee, "Did you finally get laid or are you still too much of wimp to take advantage of a place like this?"

"Shut your mouth, Urameshi," Kazuma muttered through gritted teeth, "It's none of your business."

"I'll take that as a yes," Yusuke said, sitting back and crossing his arms behind his head.

"Did you two finally do it?" Keiko whispered on Kazuma's other side, making him groan out loud at the barrage of assuming questions.

"Of course they did!" Botan stated, matter-of-factly, pointing at Yukina who had just walked into the sitting area, "Look at the way Yukina is walking, she's doing the Post Scuffle Shuffle!"

"Geez, man," Yusuke laughed, "What did you do to her!?"

Kazuma leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. It was going to be a long night.

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 **There you go! And I have another chapter started in my head so it should be up tomorrow sometime!**

 **Review and suggest and be awesome :)**


	19. The Power of Love

**Whew, that last chappie took a while! Starting this today (Wednesday) so we shall see when this gets put up.**

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The next morning, after an awkward evening of Yusuke's snarky comments, Kazuma and Yukina packed up and dragged their bags outside, placing them in the trunk of the car.

"I have a swell idea," Botan said loudly, pushing Yusuke and Kuwabara towards Shizuru's car "I think you two should go in this car and us girls will go in Keiko's!"

"Ha ha, ok, Botan, I gotcha," Yusuke agreed, giving her a thumbs up, "Come on, Kuwabara, the girls have things to discuss."

Kazuma gave Yukina a worried look before he was literally shoved into the passenger seat by Yusuke who then jumped in the driver's seat and drove away before anyone could complain.

Yukina stood in the driveway, watching the car disappear, feeling confused at the sudden events and her unwilling separation from her boyfriend.

"What was that all about?" she asked Keiko.

"I think Botan needs her curiosity fulfilled," Keiko informed her with a smile and shake of her head, "Come on, let's get headed for home."

The girls got in Keiko's small car, Yukina in the passenger seat and Botan in the, but Botan was leaning up into the front with bright and mischievous eyes as Keiko pulled out onto the road and headed in the direction of home.

"Ok, Yukina, I know last night you were pretty tight lipped but we're alone now so spill the beans!" the blue haired Grim Reaper demanded.

"I don't have any beans, Botan," Yukina replied, not understanding at all what her friend's deal was. Keiko giggled loudly as she turned left.

"Yukina...you are so funny," she commented.

"Ugh, I mean tell us all about your weekend!" Botan stated, crossing her arms over the seat and leaning her chin on her wrist, "ALL ABOUT."

Yukina blushed brightly, finally understanding why she'd been forcefully separated from Kazuma...she wondered if Yusuke was asking the same things to him?

"Kazuma said it's not anyone's business," Yukina informed her friend in the nicest way she could.

"Well, maybe not, but...we're curious and this is just something girl friends do!" Keiko informed her, "We gossip about our adventures."

"You don't care about what we did this weekend," Yukina sighed, "You just want to know if we had sex."

"Bingo!" Botan laughed, "But we already know you _did_ we just want details!"

Yukina looked at Botan in shock.

"What...what kind of details?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, the main question I have," Botan replied boldly, "Size? And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."

"I have no idea!" Yukina squealed, blushing furiously, "I...I didn't measure!"

"Show me as best you can remember!" Botan demanded, not backing down, "Come on, Yukina, I have to know what I turned down!"

Yukina sighed heavily, knowing she was not getting out of this situation with her dignity, and held up her hands, spreading them apart in a comparative way to best of her memory. It must have been good enough because Botan and Keiko both squealed loudly and began to giggle like a pair of twelve year old girls instead of an eighteen year old and...who knew how old Botan was...

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By the time they pulled up to the Kuwabara house, Yukina had bared her soul completely to her two friends and they were a blushing, giggling mess. As soon as they stopped moving, Yukina leapt from the car and ran to Kazuma's side, happy to be away from the questioning.

"Hey, miss me that much already?" Kazuma teased, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head. Keiko and Botan let out an "awwww" and then there was a beeping noise that made Botan jump and look down at her pocket, she pulled out a device and she sighed.

"Gotta go guys," she announced, "Koenma has a job for me. Good talk, Yukina, I'm sure you'll have more to tell me soon!"

Botan's oar appeared in the air and she jumped on, side-saddle, and zipped away into the sky. Yukina sighed in relief as Keiko gave her a wink and then got in her car to leave with Yusuke.

Kazuma picked up their bags off the sidewalk and Yukina opened the door for him, they kicked off their shoes and Kazuma loudly announced they were home which resulted in a loud _thump_ sound from the living room and hushed whispers and the sound of rustling material...like jeans being pulled up and zipped. Shizuru appeared around the doorway to the living room, her face flushed and her hair sticking up in crazy directions.

"Uh...Shizuru..." Kazuma's eyes were wide and he made an attempt to look around his sister into the living room, she blocked him and shoved him back into the kitchen. He stood there with his arms crossed, looking at his sister grimly. "I'm not stupid, sis, I know what's going on. Who the hell is in there!?"

There was a familiar soft sigh from the living room and Yukina watched in surprise as Kurama stood up from the couch and approached the kitchen calmly, his hair looked similar to Shizuru's and it clicked in her mind what was going on here.

"It's me," Kurama admitted, his voice gentle and quiet as always. He didn't seem flustered at all, his unruffled look nothing like Shizuru's slightly panicked and angry expression.

"KURAMA!?" Kazuma's voice reached an octave Yukina didn't know it could reach and she watched in shock as he grabbed the demon by the front of his shirt and yanked him nearly off the ground, he growled angrily and got right up in his face, "You...you were...WITH MY SISTER!?"

"Kazuma put him down or I swear I'll punch you in your stupid face!" Shizuru hollered loudly, grabbing onto Kurama from behind and pulling against Kazuma. Kurama looked like a rope toy in a doggie tug-of-war!

"If you'll just calm down and allow me to speak..." Kurama began calmly but Kazuma only shook him roughly. Yukina saw Kurama's expression change into a dangerous glare and she gasped in fear for Kazuma's well being. But she shouldn't have worried, Kurama simply twisted and gave Kazuma a punch in the ribs which caused him to lose his grip and let go of Kurama's shirt. The Kitsune stepped away gracefully. "That's better. Now, Kuwabara, allow me to talk and I will explain to you the situation as it stands."

Kazuma hesitated a little while longer, his anger still very obvious in the shaking of his hands and the death glare Kurama was on the receiving end of, but he finally closed his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath and stepped back to lean against the kitchen counter next to Yukina and crossed his arms defiantly. Yukina placed her hand gently on his left bicep and silently hoped he would listen and not be so quick to be angry...he was a little bit frightening when he was angry.

"Alright, Kurama," he muttered, his voice low and unhappy, "Convince me why I shouldn't tear you to pieces right now."

"I understand that you are angry at the prospect of your sister being involved sexually with your close friend," Kurama began carefully, but confidently, "I believe we had this discussion before..."

Kazuma's eyes opened in surprise and he met Kurama's look anxiously.

"But...that's not..." he sputtered, his arms fell to his sides in a more defensive and passive way.

"We discussed the way Hiei feels about you and Yukina," Kurama emphasized his point, "And you told me how terrible it seemed that Hiei was happy about your momentary breakup. You also agreed to give Yukina all your love despite what anyone says, even her brother..."

"That's not the same!" Kazuma lamely attempted a retort.

"It is precisely the same," Kurama stated firmly, "Hiei is unhappy about you being involved with Yukina and you are unhappy about my involvement with Shizuru...but you feel Hiei is wrong in his disapproval."

Kazuma blinked silently at the demon, not knowing what to say in his own defense. After a long moment of silence and angry eye twitches, his shoulders sagged in defeat and he hung his head.

"You...you're right, Kurama," he admitted quietly, " I want Hiei's approval of Yukina and I more than anything and I imagine you want _my_ approval of you two?"

Kurama and Shizuru clasped hands and smiled.

"Yes, baby bro," Shizuru confirmed, "You know I love you more than anyone on Earth and your approval means a lot to me."

"And it means a lot to me as well," Kurama added, "You're one of my best friends. I know this must be strange for you...I hope you'll give me a chance at least to show you I mean well."

Kazuma took a deep breath and let it out for a long time then he stood up straight and approached Kurama and Shizuru with a threatening expression and jabbed his index finger into Kurama's chest, a tiny bit of Sacred Energy flared up in his fingertip and Yukina was surprised to see Kurama winced at the contact.

"Alright, Kurama, I'll give you a chance," he said firmly, "But if you mess up...you don't get another one."

"I accept your terms," Kurama said calmly, "Thank you, Kuwabara. You're very reasonable."

"If only Hiei were as reasonable," Shizuru muttered, her eyes flicking off to the right. Yukina looked to see what Shizuru was looking at but there was nothing there.

Kazuma stepped back, seeming at least slightly at ease about the whole situation, and then shook his head slowly, grabbed their bags and nodded for Yukina to follow him upstairs to unpack. Kurama and Shizuru watched them go and then sighed in relief.

"That...was terrible timing," Shizuru muttered, rubbing her face in distress, "I thought they'd be home a lot later since they don't have school today."

"So did I," Kurama admitted, "But...it went better than expected."

Shizuru nodded and walked over to the sink, running hot water to begin washing dishes now that the moment between her and Kurama had been utterly destroyed with no chance of recovery.

"You hit him in a very sore spot," Shizuru pointed out, "How can he argue with something like that? He knows better than anyone how it feels to lack the approval of family. Yukina has no other family and Kazuma knows if he can't get Hiei's approval that Yukina will be forced to choose between them one day...and he knows Yukina will choose Hiei."

"Would she?" Kurama asked in surprise.

"Yes," Shizuru sighed unhappily, "Even though it would break my brother's heart, and most likely his spirit, she would choose Hiei. I'm a sister...I know there is no one in this world, or any of the other worlds, who I could ever love more than my brother. Family is all you have at the end of the day."

Kurama considered this for a moment.

"And I would choose my mother over my own life," he said softly, "Yes...I believe you're right in your observation. I hope we never have to see that choice be made."

A quick whoosh of air came as no surprise to either the Kitsune or the psychic and they both turned to look down at Hiei who was no standing in the kitchen behind them.

"I heard everything that happened," he said in his usual bored tone, his red eyes alight with glee, "Thank you for the information on how to break those two up. I will continue to withhold my approval."

Shizuru glared angrily at Hiei and splashed him with water from the sink in her fury.

"You little shit!" she snapped, staying somewhat quiet to avoid the suspicions of the couple upstairs, "How can you possibly put my brother _and_ your sister through that? I thought you loved her!"

"I do," Hiei hissed, side stepping away from the small puddle the water had made after he'd avoided it, "I want her to be with me in Demon World, not stuck here with a human who will never be able to protect her from the danger all around!"

"That's unfair, Hiei," Kurama spoke up, "You know Kuwabara would do anything in the world for her."

"And it would still not be enough," Hiei cut his friend off quickly, "He is stronger now than he was, but he is still too weak to keep her safe."

Shizuru stepped forward with her fist raised, but Kurama stopped her gently and looked down at Hiei with a very serious expression.

"I would have thought, Hiei, that after all we've seen humans accomplish in our time here in Human World, that you would be the first to admit that humans excel at a power even demons find difficult to master."

"If you mean Sacred Energy, I have only seen _one_ human able to use it and he was a crazy idiot!" Hiei retorted easily, dismissing Kurama's statement.

"That's not the power I mean," Kurama insisted, "You saw it many times, Hiei. You saw it when Yusuke fought you to rescue Keiko, when Kuwabara gave his life energy to save Yusuke in Maze Castle, when I took all those blows from Roto, when Kuwabara was about to sacrifice himself in the fight with Reysho, when Yusuke thought Toguro had killed Kuwabara, when Yusuke thought Keiko had been killed while he was fighting Suzako...and you even felt it yourself once, when Sensui killed Yusuke."

Hiei squinted curiously at Kurama, a look of hesitant understanding slowly changing his face from aloof anger to painful acceptance.

"It's love, Hiei."

Hiei crossed his arms, but listened to what his friend had to say.

"Love is the power above all powers," Kurama insisted genuinely, "It was love for Keiko that gave Yusuke the determination to defeat you in that warehouse when you first met. It was love that made Kuwabara disregard his own life on the slim chance that it would save his best friend. It was love that made me stay still and accept my possible death when my mother's life was threatened because she meant more to me than my life. It was love that made Kuwabara fight against all odds with Reysho, knowing he would most likely die, because he knew the rest of us, including _you_ , would be allowed to live if he could just manage a tie...and it was his love for Yukina that gave him enough strength to defeat Reysho in the end. It was love that unlocked Yusuke's true potential in the battle with Toguro when he thought his best friend had died because of him. It was love that made Yusuke use his own life energy to defeat Suzako when he thought he'd lost Keiko. And it was love that caused you to summon two Black Dragons after you saw your friend killed in front of your eyes...even though you know using it twice could have killed you."

"You see, Hiei?" Shizuru jumped in quietly, "He may not be strong by demon standards...but I have never known anyone more capable of love than my baby brother. He has always had that inner strength that so many humans don't have...and that is more powerful than anything."

Hiei remained silent, turning on his heels and heading for the door. Kurama and Shizuru watched him go and they both let out a sigh.

"Do you think it worked?" she asked.

"I think not even Hiei can deny such an obvious truth," Kurama assured her, "I'll help you with the dishes if you'd like?"

Shizuru nodded and handed him an apron, grinning as he donned the white piece of clothing that claimed "Queen of the Kitchen".

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Kazuma sat at his desk, reading his History textbook for information to put into his ten page paper due tomorrow on the Genroku Era of Japan. Yukina was asleep on his bed next to him, exhausted from the weekend and, no doubt, her long ride home with Keiko and Botan. He looked over at her now and then, smiling at the lovely sight of her laying there...his girl.

In the middle of a sentence in his book, Kazuma felt a familiar energy approaching and he took a deep breath in preparation of the coming event. Sure enough, he saw Hiei leaping across the rooftops out of the corner of his eye.

Hiei squinted at the figure of Kazuma engrossed in a book through the window and leapt through, drawing his sword silently and aiming it to where he knew he would give the human a nick on the skin but no severe damage, he grinned wickedly as he imagine the shock and surprise on Kuwabara's face. But before he even knew what had happened, Hiei found himself thrown off course and hit the bedroom floor with a thump, knocking the wind out of him. He looked up in anger and his face turned to utter shock when he saw Kuwabara's left hand raised slightly, his palm glowing slightly yellow and his eyes still focused on the page he was reading.

"What...!?" Hiei started to get angry but Kuwabara shushed him and he was so surprised at his friend's lack of concern that he fell silent.

"Please be quiet, Hiei," Kuwabara whispered, "Yukina's asleep and I think she needs this nap. Can we talk outside?"

Hiei glanced around the room for the first time, anger rose in his gut at the sight of his sister laying so at ease in Kuwabara's bed! He stood quickly and gave a quick nod before disappearing out the window.

Kazuma sighed heavily and leaned over to kiss Yukina gently.

"This is it, love," he whispered so as not to wake her up, "If he won't accept us now...I honestly don't know what else I can to prove myself to him."

He glanced down to the backyard through the window to where Hiei was waiting with his arms crossed. It was now or never...

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 **Yay! Got it done in one day! I even skipped my workout to get this done before work tomorrow so...I am so unhealthy.**

 **Anyway, give me your lovely feedback and reviews and suggestions and I will be working on more ASAP :)**


	20. Frenemies

**Sorry this chappie took a while to get up, but...I had a really bad day on the ambulance the other day and had to take a little time to mellow out and was in no mood to write. I worked a plane crash that killed an entire family on their way to a family reunion...crashed in their grandparent's field as they were landing at the reunion. The 5 yr old boy survived but only because his parents ejected his seat as they were going down. It was...horrible.**

 **So if this chapter feels different or oddly written or has spelling errors...sorry.**

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Kazuma nervously made his way downstairs and out the back door without being seen by Shizuru or Kurama and approached Hiei from across the yard, the small demon was waiting with his arms crossed.

"I hope you're ready for a fight," Hiei stated simply, dropping into his fighting stance and pulling his sword from its sheath.

Kazuma barely had time to process what was happening before Hiei leapt off the grass and swung his sword. Instinctively, he raised an arm in defense and was pleasantly surprised when the barrier popped up again, making Hiei's sword glance off its golden surface as he passed. The demon landed on the grass in a crouch and growled.

"So you have a force field now?" he said, sounding amused, "That's new, but it won't be enough to stop me!"

Kazuma had known Hiei would be upset when he discovered his and Yukina's latest endeavour but he had no idea it was going to be this bad! Hiei was actually, truly trying to land this blow! Out of desperation, Kazuma summoned his spirit sword and held it up to block Hiei's downward swing and the two swords connected with a mighty clashing sound and Hiei changed his course and slid to a stop on the grass, his eyes wide in shock as he eyed the sword in his opponent's hand. The new Sacred Energy sword.

"What is _that?"_ Hiei asked, sounding slightly impressed, "That is not your normal sword...and that's not the Dimension Blade either..."

"It's my new spirit sword," Kazuma said proudly, holding the brightly glowing sword up in the sunlight, "Wanna fight me now?"

His taunt worked and Hiei jumped right into the fight, swinging his blade furiously in a blur and he was amazed when Kuwabara managed to block every move with relative ease. Hiei gritted his teeth angrily and aimed another swing, his gaze focused on the target...so focused that he didn't see Kuwabara's fist until it was too late, it landed solidly and dug into Hiei's diaphragm, knocking the air from his lungs and resulting in the demon sprawling on his back in the grass, clutching his abdomen with a groan.

"So it _was_ you!"Hiei gasped breathlessly, "That energy...Koenma called me from Demon World to investigate the source of an insane amount of energy that showed up out of nowhere. How? How did you accomplish this much so fast?! It's not possible!"

"Is that why you wanted me to do it?" Kazuma asked bitterly, waiting on edge for Hiei to attack again, "Because you thought I wouldn't be able to? You thought you could make me feel like I wasn't good enough for Yukina if I failed?"

"Yes."

Hiei's calm admission made Kazuma falter in his defense and his spirit sword shrunk away into nothing as his energy drained away from the stress of consistent use. His shoulders slumped from the sudden tiredness that flowed through him.

"Am I ever going to be good enough, Hiei?" he asked, his voice tired and strained.

He expected a blunt "no" from Hiei as the demon finally stood on his feet and looked at him darkly, but Hiei was hesitating, the words seeming to stick in his throat.

"I saw how you reacted to Kurama and Shizuru," were the words that finally came out.

Kazuma looked down at Hiei in surprise.

"You were there?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Hiei replied unhappily, "As soon as I realized what happened this weekend between you and my sister...I was there to possibly kill you."

Kazuma's upper lip twitched into a nervous grin at Hiei's serious tone.

"But I hesitated when I heard your discussion with Kurama and Shizuru," the demon crossed his arms and fixed Kazuma in a calculating stare, his eyes slightly squinted. "You...do not approve of them."

"I...was just surprised and I was a little bit angry about being kept in the dark by them," Kazuma admitted, "But I don't think Kurama is the worst thing that could happen to my sister. I've seen the boyfriends she's had in the past...kind of ironic that a demon would be the one that I trust the most out of them all."

"You trust Kurama with her? Even though you know they are mating right under your nose?"

"Please don't say that, Hiei," Kazuma groaned unhappily as unpleasant images of his sister and friend came to mind, "Do I _like_ to think that my sister is screwing my friend? No. But I _do_ trust Kurama...and if he's who my sister wants then I'll give them the chance they deserve."

"Do you feel I should trust you with Yukina so easily?" Hiei inquired.

"Yes," Kazuma stated simply.

"Even though you specifically went against my demands that you refrain from mating with her?" Hiei's tone became much more dangerous with these words, "You think I owe you my trust after that?"

Kazuma considered his answer for a long time, looking at Hiei with a brand new understanding as he thought about how he'd felt when he saw his own sister's messed up hair and flushed cheeks, knowing what had happened in his absence and being kept in the dark about it.

"I guess I can't really make you understand, Hiei," he finally tried to form a sentence that summed up his inner turmoil over the question, "I can only hope you see that I only want what's best for Yukina. I hope you will understand that, even if I don't deserve her, I love her more than the world...and I need her. I need her, Hiei."

"I need her too, Kuwabara."

Finally, after all the threats and fights and anger, there it was...and Kazuma finally understood Hiei's unhappiness about his relationship with Yukina. Hiei was afraid to be alone again, to lose his sister to someone else.

"Hiei..." he said softly, suddenly feeling a rush of pity and companionship for the demon he'd fought with for so long, "I'd never take Yukina away from you. You're her brother, she needs you in her life. Heck, I mean, if it came right down to it...she would probably need you more than she'll ever need me."

Hiei looked up to meet Kazuma's eyes and he seemed to be trying to decipher if his words were honest.

"I love Yukina," Kazuma continued, desperate now to prove his point to Hiei, "I only want her to be happy and she'd never be happy without you! Look at all the trouble she went through to look for you and be reunited once she knew you existed and she knows all the trouble you went through to find her as well...you two are family, I would never come between you two."

"Isn't that what will happen if you become her mate?" Hiei asked unhappily, "She will turn to you and you alone with her problems and her needs. She won't need me."

"No way, Hiei!" Kazuma assured him loudly, "Do you think I don't need Shizuru anymore now that I have Yukina? Shizu's my sister, something Yukina will never be, it's a whole different relationship. My sister means the world to me, she always will. Yukina will never feel less for you just because she has me too."

"But you want her to yourself," Hiei accused sharply, "You don't want me involved."

"You're wrong," Kazuma replied, fixing Hiei in a serious stare, "I don't want to keep her away from you...I just...want you to...want to be part of our family."

"What family?" Hiei snapped, "We are not related."

"We might be someday," Kazuma pointed out, "But that's not really what I mean. I meant all of us, Urameshi, Kurama, Keiko, Botan...all of us. We're a family, Hiei, and you just dropped out and went back to Demon World and now you never come around unless there's trouble. It's...not the same without you."

"So you all miss me?" Hiei sneered with a condescending expression.

"Well...yeah," Kazuma shrugged, "We all do. Yukina especially. The point is, Hiei, I want to be with Yukina and I want you to have enough confidence in me that you'll feel comfortable coming to visit whenever you want. I don't want to be your enemy anymore."

Hiei hesitated for a long time, considering the new information and thinking hard about Kazuma's words. He thought back to when he first met the big, loud, stupid...he was nothing like that kid back then anymore now that he took the time to look at him. Gone was that immature and simple attitude of kicking butt being the only answer. He was well trained and much more patient in a fight and he _had_ obtained the Sacred Energy in a remarkably short time although he still had a long way to go with it. He had even grown into his lanky body and long face to become a decent looking human as far as humans go...

"You were never my enemy, Kuwabara," he finally said out loud, "We have been allies since Maze Castle. You are not the same idiot you were then...I see that now."

Hope flared in Kazuma's chest at Hiei's quiet words. Was this finally it? Was he finally going to get Hiei's blessing?

"I cannot deny the connection you and Yukina have shared since your first meeting although I do not understand it," the small demon continued, his eyes locked on the grass and his hands balled into fists as he struggled with his words, "You have proven to me you have the ability to protect her now and that was the agreement. I withdraw my objections to your relationship."

Kazuma wanted to whoop and holler and do a back flip but he held in his enthusiasm and the calm expression remained on his face as he stood before Hiei, then a very strange thought came to his mind and it just seemed appropriate so he didn't question it. Kazuma dropped down to one knee and bent over in a grateful bow. Hiei just stared for a long time before he nodded and turned on his heels to leave.

"Kuwabara," he said, stopping and turning his head to look over his shoulder at his friend. Kazuma looked up and waited for the demon's words. Hiei took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. "Do not fail her."

Kazuma nodded, meaning it with all his heart. He wouldn't fail her and he wouldn't fail Hiei either. Nodding in acceptance, Hiei crouched to begin his run and was gone in a flash. Kazuma sighed in relief at how fantastic it had all turned out and stood from his bow, smiling in the direction Hiei had left.

"Kazuma?" Yukina's soft voice reached his ears and he looked over to find her standing on the steps, looking nervous, "I watched from the window upstairs. You fought with Hiei?"

"Yes," Kazuma admitted, walking over to his girl with a spring in his step, "And I won, Yukina! I finally beat him! Don't worry, we didn't hurt eachother."

"Was he angry?" she asked, her face full of worry.

"Yeah, he was at first," Kazuma informed her, taking her hand in his and giving her a big smile, "But...he said he accepts our relationship now and he thinks I'm strong enough to take care of you while he's away in Demon World. We can finally relax, baby...he's not angry anymore."

Yukina smiled brightly, the fear and heaviness of her brother's disapproval melted away and the weight off her shoulders made her feel free and incredibly happy.

"Want to go get ice cream to celebrate?" she asked happily.

"Heck yeah!"

The pair clasped hands on their way around the yard out to the sidewalk where they turned right and headed towards their usual ice cream spot, laughing happily as they went. They had no clue they were being watched by the short demon standing on a distant rooftop. Hiei watched his sister and his oversized friend walking hand in hand and an uncharacteristic smile came over his lips as they passed by.

Yes, of all the humans and demons in the worlds his sister had to choose this one...and Hiei decided she had made the right choice after all.

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 **Tada! Finally done with that chappie! I loved writing it...Hiei is super fun to write!**

 **On ward to the next one! Work is good so far and I have plenty of time to write :)**


	21. Let's Try This Again

**Collaborating with kuwayukifan91 for this story is great! Here is the next installment with all the steamy goodness that makes for good entertainment :)**

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Kazuma sighed as he leaned against the pillar on the school steps, watching students pour out of the building on their way home as the last classes of the day let out. Normally, Yukina finished an hour ahead of him but today her teacher had arranged a practice test for the upcoming midterms so their classes ended around the same time and he was waiting for her to come out with the other Freshmen.

It had been two weeks since their trip to the beach and his confrontation with Hiei, he and Yukina had been spending lots of time together but they hadn't had any time completely alone since then and it was highly frustrating. Several times in the days since he'd attempted to get her alone but if Shizuru wasn't home then Yusuke or Botan or even Keiko would drop by unexpectedly and shatter the moment...he was so keyed up from the continuous cock blocking that it was starting to make him feel like they were doing it on purpose!

Hiei hadn't been around since their last talk, at least not that he knew of, and Kazuma thought about the short demon with a smile. He'd finally stood his ground against Hiei and won, he'd earned his respect and fought for Yukina to be his...and now she was finally, completely his girl. He had been shocked at Hiei's words and his acceptance, it had been unexpected but very welcome.

His awareness tingled and he looked to his right, knowing the way Yukina's energy felt almost as well as he knew his own by now, she had a soft, yet strong energy that was unmistakable. He smiled and pushed himself away from the pillar to meet her on the steps.

"Hey, baby!" he greeted in his usual loud and excited way, she always smiled at his enthusiasm but this time she seemed a little distracted and she just looked up at him and smiled slightly. He noticed she was holding onto her book bag tightly, like she was strangling the strap on her arm. Kazuma pulled her into a hug, lifting her easily off her feet, hoping it would get a real smile out of her, he set her down and leaned down to her level to scan her still troubled face, "Hey, what's wrong? You look really upset."

"I am, Kazuma," she replied quietly.

Kazuma considered what could be wrong, all sort of things came to mind.

"Is someone bullying you? Is a guy bothering you?" he asked quickly, glaring at the random Freshmen pouring out of the building behind her, "Because I'll pound them into the ground if they've been treating you bad. Nobody messes with my girl and gets away with it!"

One particularly bold Freshman gave him a dirty a look as he passed and Kazuma flexed his impressively large right arm at the kid and twitched his lips into a snarl, the Freshman's eyes widened and he ducked his head, avoiding eye contact as he scurried past. Yukina giggled, looking up at him with slightly brighter eyes, but still not her normal level of happiness.

"Oh, Kazuma, it's nothing like that," she assured him, placing her hand on his arm to make him lower it and relax, "Our practice test today for midterms was a disaster. I tried very hard and only got a 78...and I know that's still passing but I want to pass well! I'm not happy with that score at all."

"You're starting to sound like Keiko," Kazuma teased nudging her gently and taking her book bag from her and slinging over his shoulder. He took her hand and gently tugged her to begin walking beside him, heading for home, "Don't worry, Yukina. Don't forget, you've got a strong, smart, sexy boyfriend to be your study partner. We'll study together in your room if you want and I'll do whatever I can to help you study better."

Yukina finally smiled a genuine and full-fledged smile.

"Thank you, Kazuma," she said happily, "I knew I could count on you to make it better."

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Kazuma unlocked the front door and pushed it open with such force that it collided with something that had been sitting in the entryway.

"SHIZURU, WE'RE HOME!" he yelled loudly, wanting their presence to be unmistakably known in case Kurama was here. He noticed the object he'd knocked over was a suitcase.

Shizuru appeared from the stairway, her face annoyed.

"Could you be any louder, baby bro?" she asked, coming over to recover the suitcase. She opened it and shoved her toothbrush case inside before shutting it again and setting her handbag on top.

"Going somewhere, sis?" Kazuma asked.

"No, you idiot, I just felt like packing a bag for kicks," Shizuru replied snarkily, rolling her eyes. Yukina giggled at the exchange.

The sound of a knock on the door cut into their argument and Kazuma turned and opened the door to find Kurama standing on the step looking surprised.

"Hello, Kuwabara," he said cheerfully, "I didn't know you'd be home yet. Did Shizuru tell you we're leaving for the weekend?"

"Let me guess?" Kazuma asked bitterly, "You two are going to the beach house?"

Kurama cocked his head slightly at Kazuma's tone but nodded.

"I figured since Shizuru and I are official now, she would enjoy it as much as Yukina did," he replied simply.

Yukina smiled.

"Oh, Kurama, I forgot to thank you for letting Kazuma and I go there," she said, "It was very thoughtful of you."

"My pleasure, Yukina," Kurama replied kindly, "You two needed some time alone. We all do once in a while."

He gave Kazuma a look that clearly was a request for approval of this outing. Kazuma worked his jaw a little bit but his discussion with Hiei came back to his mind and he nodded softly to himself.

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed, smiling at his friend as best he could, "How long will you guys be gone?"

"Just two days," Shizuru replied, handing her bag to Kurama, "We'll be back soon enough, it's just kinda hard to get any privacy around here if I have to be babysitting you, little bro. Don't worry, I'm sure Yukina can take care of you and keep you occupied."

She pushed past her brother and gave Yukina a wink, making the ice demon smile happily.

"I just find it hard to believe someone actually wants to take my sister out in the dayti-OW!" Shizuru cut her brother's comment off with a massive slap to the face that made him jerk his head to the side, his cheek flaring red when he turned back to look at her with a wicked grin. "Worth it."

Yukina had her mouth covered with her hand in shock, Shizuru's violent outbursts towards Kazuma was something she could not understand but Kazuma never seemed too bother by it so she kept her unhappiness to herself. It must be a human sibling thing.

Kurama picked up Shizuru's suitcase and walked out the door, chuckling slightly as he went. Shizuru lit a cigarette and laid a hand on Yukina's shoulder.

"Have a good weekend, Yukina," she said kindly, "Keep my idiot brother in line while I'm gone. Don't let him wreck the place and only call me if it's an emergency."

Yukina assured her she would and closed the door when Kurama and Shizuru drove off. She shook her head and turned to walk further into the house. Kazuma followed her happily, suddenly realizing that they finally had the house to themselves for two whole days! As he followed Yukina through the kitchen towards the stairs, his eyes followed the tempting rhythm of her hips in her uniform skirt. He'd thought about the night they first made love over and over again and he'd been waiting for the opportunity to try again and, this time, he was going to do it right so she would want to come back for more...no more of that forgetting the rules crap. Tonight would be the perfect time what with Shizuru gone and all. He was so engrossed in the view and his thoughts that he bumped firmly into her when she stopped walking suddenly at the foot of the stairs, he reached out lightning fast and grabbed her arm to keep her on her feet, she looked at him in shock and then laughed.

"Watch where you're walking, silly!" she said good naturedly.

"Sorry," Kazuma chuckled, blushing slightly at his lack of attention, "I was...just looking at you and...I forgot to look where I was going."

Yukina gave him a funny look and he glamced around at anything but her face. Damn, why did he feel so nervous all of a sudden?

"Oh...alright," Yukina finally seemed to come to a realization and she reached out for her book bag, "Are you ready to help me study?"

Kazuma felt his stomach drop at the realization that Yukina's mind was _not_ on the same page, she was still thinking about her test earlier. He nodded and watched in silence as she trotted up the steps...oh well, even if she wasn't thinking about sex and even if the weekend went by without it, he was glad just to be with her. He sighed and went to the kitchen to grab snacks and tea. Yukina loved tea and went through many cups a day so he made it for her any time he had the chance. He grabbed two cups, and let the tea leaves steep while he scanned the sacred snack drawer that Shizuru kept fully stocked at all times, he grabbed a handful of assorted candy and snacks and dropped them on the tea tray and then headed upstairs to start the study session.

"Alright, baby," he announced as he pushed her door open with his hip, "Lucky for you, your boyfriend is strong _and_ smart. How may I assist you?"

Yukina held up her science textbook and opened it to the offending chapter. Kazuma took the book from her and eyed the content.

"Ah, yeah..." he sighed unhappily, "I remember this. Ok, let's get comfy because this could take a while."

"Thank you, Kazuma," Yukina sighed, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "You're my hero."

So for two hours the pair sat on the floor, drinking tea, eating junk food and discussing Aerobic and Anaerobic Metabolism and the various aspects of ATP production. Yukina listened carefully as Kazuma read the info to her, finding his voice soothing and his illustrations informative.

"I think I've got it," she finally said, sitting back with a sigh, "My goodness, this is exhausting."

"Yeah, it hurt my brain the first time I had to learn it," Kazuma admitted, "But once it clicks, you'll remember it forever."

Yukina looked at him for a long time and then she stood up and walked over to her desk to drop her book bag on the surface of it. Kazuma stayed sitting on the floor, closing the notebooks and textbooks laying around him. When he happened to glance up, he did an immediate double take and his jaw dropped...Yukina had removed her uniform top and was sliding her skirt down her legs, it dropped to the floor and she stepped out and took a deep breath. Her back was to him and he wondered for a brief moment if she would be mad to find him staring, but he couldn't make himself look away as she slowly turned to face him.

He'd seen her out of her clothes before at the beach house, but that had been two weeks ago and he felt like his eyes had literally been starving as the sight of her filled something up inside him. She had breasts that were small but not too small, her hips curved into a perfect round butt that stuck out behind her in the most perfect way he'd ever seen, her bikini cut pink panties covered all the parts he really wanted to see, her legs were strong and lean...he never would have known this was the body under that bulky kimono she used to wear all the time.

All his appreciation shot straight to his crotch and he grabbed the nearest textbook and opened it on his lap in an attempt to hide the obvious tent forming in the front of his pants.

"Kazuma..." Yukina's soft voice made his eyes jump from her legs to her eyes and he saw a familiar look in them...he'd seen that look before, when she'd told him she was ready that night at the beach.

"Y...yeah, love?" he managed to croak out, he immediately cleared his throat and waited for her reply.

"I...I...um, well...it's been a long time since the beach house...and I figured since we are home alone..." Yukina stared down at the carpet as she slowly walked back towards him. When she reached his side, Kazuma reached up and took her hand, tugging insistently until she dropped to her knees to be on his level, he immediately leaned forward and kissed her firmly. He felt her relax in his arms and she practically melted into him, leaning forward to the point he had to put a hand out behind him to keep from being pushed onto his back.

"You look nervous," he commented when Yukina pulled back from the kiss, her eyes were dilated and eager but her body was tense and unsure, "You don't have to be worried about asking me, baby. Trust me...I'm always up for it if you are!"

"So I've noticed," Yukina said with a grin as she removed the textbook that he'd laid over his lap, her eyes stayed there for a long moment before returning to his face, "I'm sorry...I just have never had to ask before and I didn't want to miss this opportunity."

"Then let's not miss it," Kazuma grinned wickedly and stood quickly to his feet, pulling Yukina easily up with him to the point she had to stand on her tiptoes to match his sudden rise and meet his lips in a fire filled kiss. She found herself being pushed gently backwards, his hands were working to unclasp her bra from her back which then fell to floor and she felt the back of her legs touch her bed, but before she could voluntarily sit down she was swept up in his arms and she was laid back onto the covers with him following her down to hover over her. He grinned down at her for a moment when they broke their kiss and then he stood up and unbuttoned his uniform jacket as quick as his shaking hands would allow and he tossed it aside, pulling his tank top off in almost the exact same movement. He smiled down at her and puffed out his chest and stood up straight and tall for her viewing pleasure.

Yukina immediately sat up on the bed and reached out to run her hands over the newly exposed skin of his chest and abdomen. She savored the feel of the hardened muscles beneath her fingers and he sighed happily at the warm tingles that flowed into him from the touches of her hands as they explored, he closed his eyes and let the sensation of her touch soak in. He wanted to memorize how this felt and never forget it and, little did he know, she was thinking the same thing.

Kazuma felt a tremble make its way through the entirety of his body and he felt a desperate need to sow her the same sensations she was making him feel, so he grabbed her wrists gently to halt her touches and he leaned her back down onto the bed, following her down to capture her mouth in another kiss, this one more focused and less sloppy than the previous one. He let his hand slide from her wrists down the length of her arms until they came to rest on the soft forms of her breasts, his hands were large enough to cover them completely so he gently curled his fingers enough to get a gentle hold on each, his palms began to form small circles of pressure. The way Yukina was letting out soft moans and small squeaks of pleasure made him bolder in his touch and he increased the pressure and grip a little tighter and he tilted his head to move his lips from her mouth to the curve of her jaw and neck, his teeth grazing her skin gently there.

"Oh...wow," Yukina's breathy praise of his newest attempt made his confidence soar and he latched his teeth onto her right earlobe and let out a deep, rumbling groan directly into her ear. Yukina's hips shot off the bed and her hands shot to his shoulder blades, her fingertips digging desperately into his skin as she wiggled her hips in an attempt to rub against him. He denied her the connection of their lower halves and grinned wickedly as he began to move his kisses lower, down her ears, around her jaw, down her neck until he pressed a chaste kiss in the valley between her breasts, his eyes raised to judge her expression. She gasped lightly and raised her head to look down at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, not sounding unhappy about where he was heading with his kisses at all, just curious.

"Just making sure I do things right this time," he assured her with a smirk, "Remember last time I told you I forgot a very important rule? Well...this time I'm making up for it. Just relax and enjoy, I promise this is gonna feel good, better than last time. Is it ok if I continue?"

Yukina felt a happy flip in her tummy as his question, it was very like him to ask her permission. She nodded, eager to experience anything and everything he had planned.

Kazuma smiled and returned his lips to the place between her breasts where he'd stopped, his left hand remained on her chest while his right slid down to the bump of her hip. He grinned against the skin of her left breast as his lips moved brazenly closer to her now hardened nipple. When he had successfully distracted her with a gentle tweak of her left nipple, he waited a moment and then sucked the right in between his lips, gripping it gently between his teeth and sliding the tip of his tongue over it as he held it there.

"Oh my god!" Yukina let out a high pitched yelp and Kazuma released her nipple with a slick _pop_ and he looked up with a wolfish grin, she gazed down at him with half closed eyes, her lashes fluttering as she shuddered in ecstasy, she opened her mouth slightly and sighed, "Kazuma...please..."

Kazuma felt a burst of pride at the state he had her in and he slid his right hand lower, slipping a finger beneath the material of her panties.

"I'm gonna take these off now, alright?" he asked before he made another move and was delighted when she nodded eagerly and raised her hips so he could slide them off easily. But she was looking at him now with slight confusion.

"Already?" she sort of whined, "I was...enjoying that."

"No, don't worry, I'm nowhere near done with you yet," Kazuma laughed, "These things take time."

"Is this...foreplay?" Yukina's question surprised him. Damn, Urameshi's Sex Ed talk that one time must have been very in depth.

"Uh...yeah...where did you learn about that?" he asked, curiously.

"When Keiko and Botan drove me home from the beach," Yukina informed him, blushing slightly at admitting the secret gossip session, "They asked about your "foreplay skills" and I didn't know what they meant...this is a lot like what they said it would be."

Kazuma rolled his eyes, of course she'd heard it from those two...

"Well, ok, yeah that's what this is," he confirmed her earlier question, "But I've got a lot more where that came from...if you want me to keep going."

Yukina nodded eagerly. Humans were very detailed creatures and were intense about everything they do...she knew she would not be disappointed because Kazuma never did anything halfway or unenthusiastically.

Kazuma replaced his hand in the junction of her legs, much like he had the first time they were in this position and Yukina found her memory flooded with how it had felt when he first curled his fingers inside her...she couldn't wait for more like that.

Kazuma sighed lightly when he felt how slick and wet she already was, just from the small amount of foreplay they'd done...he imagined she would be completely soaked by the time he was done with the teasing. He noticed she'd still kept herself groomed and trimmed and the thought made his ego expand a bit, apparently she'd kept herself groomed in anticipation of this moment when it came. He let his body slide down hers until he felt his knees connect to the carpet, his chin resting gently on her lower abdomen. Backing up a bit and bending slightly, he found himself exactly where he wanted to be and he felt Yukina's legs trembling on either side of his head as he slid between her thighs and connected his tongue to her center.

Her reaction was exactly what he hoped it would be. Yukina's thighs squeezed together around him and she gasped in shock and pleasure, Kazuma just grinned into her and pulled back a bit to grab her thighs and settle them onto his shoulders. When she was propped up, her hips slightly raised off the bed from the height of his shoulders that her legs were resting on, he returned his tongue to its work with gusto. Yukina's small gasps and moans started to escalate into loud groans and naughty words and as Kazuma twisted his tongue to slip it inside her she bucked her hips and practically growled her appreciation.

"Kazuma..." his name slid off her tongue in a way he'd never heard before, full of pleasure and heavy with desire. The combination of that sounds, her scent all around him and the taste of her desire on his tongue was too much for him to remain confined in his jeans, the zipper pressed painfully into his erection as it fought for freedom so he pulled back from his work slightly and quickly wiggled the jeans down his hips and off of his legs in a tangled mess, his hot breath on her skin made Yukina shiver and the sight of his jeans flying over to the side of the room caused a jolt of anticipation in her belly.

"Kazuma, please stop!" she squealed as he bent to continue his lingual assault on her. He looked up immediately and stopped, sitting up straight and breathing deeply.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked with concern, "You don't like it?"

Yukina was breathing hard from the effort of her pleasure and she took a moment to form a coherent sentence.

"Oh, no...I like it," she assured him, "I like it a lot! I just want..."

Kazuma grinned at her, so she was ready already? That was faster than he thought! He eagerly shifted is weight and removed her legs from his shoulders and began snaking his way up her body, showering her with feather light kisses as he went until he reached her lips where the gentleness of his kisses turned into a hungry, demanding liplock. He was surprised when he felt Yukina's small hands pressing insistently into his chest.

"What?" he asked huskily.

"Lay down," Yukina whispered, her look told him he dare not deny her request so he nodded and rolled off to the side, pulling himself fully onto the bed and shifting around to get comfy. Yukina threw a leg over him, settling onto his abdomen, he could feel the wet heat against his skin and he waited on pins and needles for her next move. She was always surprising him and this was no different...he wasn't aware she had felt confident enough to take control like she was but he knew she was stronger and more determined than people gave her credit for. She was proving it again now as she looked down at him with dark, lust-filled eyes.

"Something wrong, beautiful?" he asked gently as she noticeably hesitated to move from her position.

"I...want to return the favor," she whispered. Without another word, she moved. Slowly and carefully, she repeated his earlier moves and began snaking backwards down his body, her mouth leaving a hot, wet trail of kisses over his chest as the skin of her stomach and chest slid tantalizingly over his desperately throbbing cock, she hesitated when her mouth reach his abs and she let her tongue and teeth and lips explore her favorite area...perfectly chiseled muscles twitched and tightened as she gave them plenty of attention. Kazuma wished she would give some attention to what was demanding it, as it was, he was tucked between her breasts and he assumed she was doing _that_ on purpose...it occurred to him suddenly that his woman was a mean little tease. His suspicions were confirmed when she raised her eyes to look up at him and grin wickedly, but made no move to go any lower than she was.

"Mmmmmmmmph!" Kazuma growled deep in his throat, his desperation obvious in the way he began to grind into her chest. She smiled and nodded and then lifted herself high enough to not brush against him at all while she got into position for her new experiment.

Finally, she halted and locked eyes with him. Kazuma felt like the butterflies in his stomach had turned into frogs that were jumping around in there as he held eyes contact with Yukina, sweet, innocent little Yukina whose inexperienced lips were only mere inches from where he'd only ever dreamed of them being. Then, with no warning whatsoever, Yukina's hand slid over his left hip and gripped him tight, her eyes still locked on his. Kazuma let out a sharp hiss of surprise at the sudden contact and Yukina hesitated slightly.

"Is this alright?" she asked quietly.

Kazuma nodded quickly, thinking he might just go crazy if she backed out now.

"You do whatever you feel like doing," he encouraged her, but leaving her enough room to compromise if she wanted. After all...she was in control right now.

"I feel like trying something the girls told me about," Yukina said, her lips twisting into a mischievous smile, "Let me know if I'm doing this wrong."

Kazuma was about to ask her what she had planned but his words choked in his throat as she ducked her head and her tongue came out, sliding from the base of his now aching erection and sliding unbearably slow up to the tip. His former question came out in a high pitched whine as a jolt of pleasure like he'd never felt in his life flooded his entire being, he gripped the sheets in his left hand so hard that he heard his knuckles pop in protest. But he didn't even give a flying fuck if he broke his fingers entirely as Yukina's tongue made a circle around the head and continued its path down the other side, her free hand slipped lower to cup the Kuwabara family jewels in her palm.

"Oh shit," he breathed out as soon as he managed to take a breath deep enough to support words.

Yukina looked incredibly pleased with herself and the way she licked her lips when she looked up at him again made Kazuma want to flip her over and take her right then and there...but he remained stil, his eyes begging her for more but his voice unable to tell her.

"Do you need me to stop?" Yukina asked softly, "You look like you need to breathe."

Kazuma shook his head furiously, bucking his hips up towards her to further his point. She moved her head up in surprise and giggled as she avoided contact, but she ended his misery completely when she came back down, her lips parted and she slid her mouth over his solid length as far as she could without gagging. Kazuma's vision burst with stars and he swore he would pass out, there was no way anything should ever feel this amazing. When Yukina's tongue slipped over her teeth and added a twist to her gentle bobbing motion Kazuma jerked his hips up in an unintended response and he immediately regretted it when he heard Yukina choke, gag and then cough as she pulled away with an annoyed look on her face.

"Sorry!" he gasped desperately, "Please, please don't stop."

Yukina nodded, coughing one more time before she smiled and took him in her mouth again. Her hair, which had been hung over one shoulder before, now hung into her face and around her ears so Kazuma reached out with his trembling free hand and pulled the stray pieces back into a handheld ponytail. Something about this added to his enjoyment of the moment. Yukina must have agreed because the pace of her ups and downs over him became faster and more insistent.

Yukina felt a fire growing in her belly as she fell into a rhythm of suck, twist, squeeze and gently tug and she glanced up to see if Kazuma was enjoying this as much as she was. His head was tossed back onto the bed, the muscles in his neck strained and tight, his Adam's Apple rose and fell as he gulped hard. This was erotic enough for the ice demon but the sudden deep, rumbling moan that issued from his throat as his mouth dropped open in ecstasy was enough to make her falter and squeeze her legs tightly together...a whole new feeling had wormed it's way into her and she knew she needed so much more of him than this. She pulled her mouth away with an obscenely loud slurp and he jerked in surprise and looked down at her with wide, dilated eyes.

"Sorry," Yukina apologized awkwardly, "That was rather unladylike."

"Fuck yeah it was," Kazuma growled approvingly, "That was insanely hot!"

"My jaw hurts," Yukina informed him, "But...I really want to try something else if that's ok?"

"Of course!" Kazuma agreed eagerly. At this point he was almost certain there was nothing he would deny her.

Yukina nodded and climbed up on his hips, hovering her entrance teasingly, whisper light against the tip of him. She waited for a moment to see if he would tell her no but he was looking at her in excited readiness so she took a deep breath and slowly lowered herself onto him, gasping at the newish sensation of being stretched beyond what she thought she could handle. She let out a sharp squeak and stopped moving when Kazuma's hands grabbed her hips tightly.

"Oh, damn, Yukina," he gasped, his breathing rapid and unsteady, "You learn fast. But, remember, take your time. If it hurts, don't rush it."

Yukina nodded quickly, the pain was fading quicker this time than last time. Actually, she wiggled her hips experimentally, the pain was gone completely now. She figured the half of him that she'd managed so far was good enough for now so she lifted back up and slid back down to test it out. She was satisfied and began a slow, easy rhythm that made her thighs burn with the effort of holding herself.

"Here," Kazuma grunted, taking hold of her hands and laying them palm down on his chest, "This way you can put some of your weight on your arms, you won't get so tired. And...you won't accidently slip and break my penis."

Yukina let out a bark of laughter.

"That can happen?!" she asked, stopping her movements out of surprise.

"Not really 'break' persay," Kazuma admitted, "But injure, yes."

"Ok," Yukina made a mental note to be much more careful and restarted her motions. After a while, without even thinking about it, Yukina realized she'd somehow gotten to the point where she'd taken his entire length inside her and the thought made her feel pretty proud of herself. Encouraged, she upped her speed and began adding a grind as she came back down.

"Oh my god, Yukina," Kazuma growled, his grip on her hips tightened and Yukina bet she would have bruises in the morning from where his fingertips were digging in, "Fuck, that's...that's amazing!"

Something about the gritty, deep rumble of his voice combined with the feeling of him filling her inside and the musky heat that was beginning to fill the room made Yukina feel that intense need she'd felt earlier again. She felt like...something inside was growing and would explode at any given time and that when it did it would be the best thing she ever felt. She focused on the growing thing inside her and her speed increased greatly, all caution forgotten.

"K...Kazuma...I...something is..." she couldn't even explain to him what she was feeling, but something told her he needed to know about it. She met his eyes and gave him the most desperate pleading look she could manage. He nodded in understanding and Yukina gasped in surprise when she felt him move under her and she found herself being forcefully flipped over and shoved onto her back.

Somehow, Yukina didn't know how, their connection had not severed during the change of position and she gasped at the change of sensation as he took control. Suddenly, Risa's words in the cafeteria came to her mind: _Imagine how he must sound in bed. I bet he's a total animal. Throw down and completely destroy a woman type of animal._

It all made sense now as Yukina watched in awe. She was helpless, her wrists caught tightly in his hands, her whole body pinned by his solid weight on her hips, it was frightening, the amount of intensity he was showing now, his breaths were coming out as growls and grunts and moans, his teeth gritted and bared and his eyes shut tight, his hips ground into hers as he thrust into her with a furious pace she didn't know was even possible. It was kind of painful, she mused...but it was amazingly primal, and she didn't want him to stop even if she was beginning to ache. She knew this was leading up to the growing need inside her being finally fulfilled so she let him go. She looked down to where they were connected and watched in awe as his hips moved in a smooth, powerful rhythm; watched as his now rock solid member slid in and out of her rapidly...that sight and the sudden growl right next to her ear was the final piece of the puzzle.

Yukina felt the growing bubble inside her throb once, twice, three times and then she froze completely, her back arching as a sensation unlike anything she'd ever felt before ripped through her. Her entire body trembled and she felt herself contracting around him as he continued to thrust into her, his movements becoming jerky and uneven. She opened her eyes, still floating on that feeling she'd just released and looked down again to watch his movements.

Kazuma couldn't believe what was happening, but he couldn't really make himself stop. Was he hurting her? God, he hoped not...but she wasn't making any complaints, all her noises were encouraging and positive in his ears and he growled in appreciation of his girl's strength and eagerness. He was starting to zone out into his own world when he felt a strange, new sensation...a pulsing from inside Yukina that gripped him tight as he moved inside her, then a hot, wet rush of fluid made it click in his mind.

 _Ha! Ladies come first! Good job, Kazuma...you did it right this time!_

Finally! He could finally let himself go, holding it back was becoming almost painful and he needed this release more than he ever needed one before! Ever. He bent his head and closed his eyes tightly for a moment to steady himself as his hips began to falter and he felt that familiar tightening that warned him of his impending release.

He wasn't sure why, but something made him open his eyes as he neared the edge and he looked down at her face. Her eyes were not on his face, they were locked on something between them and he stretch his neck to look between them as well. He realized then what she was doing...she was watching, very closely, as he moved in and out of her. The look on her face was all it took, the knowledge that she was watching with such dirty appreciation made him go over the edge. He gritted his teeth hard and a loud, unhindered growl made its way through his teeth as he felt that rush that only an orgasm can cause, his vision went black and his strength completely disappeared and he rolled off to the side to avoid crushing Yukina beneath him as his arms gave out.

"Fuck..." he gasped, his breathing rapid and insufficient as he struggled to get enough air on his lungs to compensate for the effort he'd made, "Oh...fuck me sideways..."

He heard a giggle from his side and he lazily let his head drop in the direction of the sound to find Yukina's smiling face right next to his, he managed a weak upturn of his lips.

"Wow...Kazuma..." Yukina said breathlessly.

They lay there for a while, both trying to remember how to breathe correctly again, letting the endorphins do their work in their bodies and brains. The silence was sort of odd after all that and Yukina finally had to break it.

"That was a lot different than last time," she said softly.

Kazuma chuckled and turned on his side to look at her, propping his head up on his palm. He smiled softly.

"Did I hurt you, babe?" he asked gently.

Yukina considered this for a moment. She _was_ a little sore but not nearly as bad as the first time and she knew it would be gone by morning so she shook her head and grinned.

"Not enough to matter," she said, "Thank you for this...I've been going crazy waiting for this!"

Kazuma cocked his head in surprise.

"Wait...you've been wanting sex all along?" he asked.

Yukina blushed but she nodded, her eyes locked on a pattern in her sheets.

"Yeah, ever since we got home from the beach," she admitted, "But there was just no time. Every time I wanted to ask you about it, something would come up."

"Hey, you can ask me anytime," Kazuma assured her, "Even if it doesn't work out at that very moment, we can plan on it later when the time is right."

They fell silent again and Kazuma considered his next statement very carefully...it could be a big deal or it could be a very bad thing to bring up. But he had to ask sometime so he took a deep breath and went for it.

"I've been thinking..." he began, making sure he had her attention, "I've been looking at ads and thinking about graduation and what to do afterwards."

"That's good, Kazuma," Yukina encouraged him.

"Thanks," Kazuma tried to stay on track, his brain was fuzzy and he felt sleepy, "But the point is...I'd like to eventually get my own apartment, you know? My own place."

Yukina stared at him, her eyes took on a look of intense hurt and he realized how that must have sounded...like he meant his alone.

"No...I mean... _our_ own place," he assured her quickly, "A place we can be alone whenever we want. Now that Hiei is off my back about you and I and Shizu is dating Kurama, it might be the right time to start thinking about it. I guess what I'm trying to say is...if I got my own place...would you come live with me? Just you and me?"

Yukina considered his offer, her heart thumping loudly in her chest...she already lived with him here, so why did this feel like something else entirely? But she thought about the beach house and how nice it felt to be alone with him, like they were now, with no one else to worry about. To have their own home, together...that was what she wanted.

"Yes," she finally answered and she noticed the look of relief on Kazuma's face as she did, "I want that very much."

"Alright then," Kazuma said happily, "After graduation we'll start looking for a place."

The two of them both yawned outrageously large yawns at the same time and Yukina giggled as she snuggled into Kazuma's chest. Kazuma laid out his arm for her to rest her head on and pulled the covers up over them both, reaching over her to pull the lamp chain and throw them into darkness. Yukina was asleep in mere moments and she began to snore softly, making Kazuma smile at the sound. He gazed out the window at the street lights and sighed happily.

The future looked bright as long as Yukina was in it.

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 **Whew that took me all day to write! Hope it was good!**

 **Let me know what you all think and feel free to send more chappie suggestions and collab ideas!**

 **Reviews and feedback is lovely, my friends :)**


	22. Tease

**Watching Ghost Adventures! The Gelka Family investigation where the Ghost Adventurers communicate with their daughter's spirit...this is my favorite episode. The responses are incredible and clear and in the same voice. This show really does make me question paranormal activity as more than just demonic activity...**

 **Also...fuck that Game of Thrones season finale...**

 **Anyway, on to the story!**

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Yukina blinked slowly in the morning light as she slowly awoke, she felt the firm, warm body of Kazuma behind her, his arm draped over her midsection and the exhales of breath from his nose shifting the strands of her hair on the top of his head. She smiled to herself, loving the way it felt to wake up this way...she wondered vaguely if she would ever want to sleep alone again.

She remained still so she wouldn't wake him up and just looked out the window happily, watching birds settle on the fence and clouds roll by in the overcast and stormy looking sky. Clearly this would not be a day to spend outdoors. Her thoughts were interrupted by Kazuma moving behind her, his arm tightened on her and his nose nuzzled into the back of her head, he sighed gently and went still again...mostly.

Yukina felt a now familiar twitch against the back of her thigh and she carefully turned her head to look at his face. He was fast asleep, breathing gently and steadily and looking far too peaceful for what she was feeling...like he wasn't even aware of it.

"Kazuma?" she whispered, to see if he was truly asleep. He didn't reply and his breathing didn't change, his eyes remained lightly closed. Yukina felt the insistent twitch again and she decided she might as well just wake him up and see what he wanted so she twisted around under his arm and shook his arm gently, smiling at him when his eyes fluttered open and locked on hers.

"Hmm?" he mumbled groggily.

"Did you want to have sex already?" Yukina asked bluntly, she rubbed the front of her thigh against him to let him know why she was asking.

"Why? Do you?" he asked right back, putting her on the spot.

"I...well...I just wondered because you seem to be aroused," Yukina replied, not giving him a solid answer.

Kazuma looked slightly disappointed but more amused, he smiled at her and closed his eyes again.

"It happens a lot," he informed her, "Doesn't really mean anything, it's just a uncontrolled reaction to a million different things."

"Oh..." Yukina wondered what the point of that might be, but she let it go and sat up. The sheets fell around her hips and she reached her arms over her head and arched her back in a stretch.

"Well, I want sex _now_ ," Kazuma stated in awe as he watched her from his still laying position.

Yukina giggled and twisted around to face him, her back to the window. She leaned over and he raised up and they met in the middle to kiss gently, but she felt his lips go still and he pulled away, looking behind her out the window.

"Uh oh," he muttered and he threw the covers off quickly and rolled off the bed onto the floor, grabbing his clothes from around the room and heading for the door, "Hiei's coming. Don't let him know I slept in here last night!"

Yukina stared at the door when he slammed it behind him, it had happened so quick and she was disappointed in the now empty bed beside her. She crossed her arms and glared at the floor. Hiei had withdrawn his objections to their relationship so why would it matter if they slept together? Kazuma really needed to stop being so worried about what Hiei thought of them. Sighing, she quickly grabbed her bra off the floor and clipped it on then ran to her closet to grab some pants and a shirt then she headed down the stairs to greet Hiei at the door, reaching the front entry right as the doorbell rang.

"Good morning, Hiei," she said brightly, letting her brother inside out of the sprinkling rain that was beginning to come down from the dark clouds.

"Hello," her brother greeted, giving her a hug, "I was nearby returning a stupid human who wandered into Demon World and I figured I should come by and see you."

"I'm glad you did!" Yukina felt her disappointment at her broken moment earlier at the sight of her brother, she truly was very happy to see him, "I missed you when you visited Kazuma a few weeks ago."

"It was a business visit," Hiei stated simply, "I'm sure you have heard why I was here then?"

"Yes," Yukina nodded, "Thank you for understanding, Hiei. You can trust Kazuma, I promise you."

"Speak of the Devil," Hiei said grimly as Kazuma trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Hiei," Kazuma said with a grin, "You're just a Demon, not the Devil."

Yukina winced, expecting Hiei to react angrily but her brother just let out one of his frequent ' _hn_ ' sounds and let it slide. However, his next words made her fears of a fight breaking out return.

"Did I interrupt something?" he growled, glaring daggers at Kazuma.

"No, why would you think that?" Kazuma stated quickly, too quickly to be believable.

"I can _smell_ you on eachother," Hiei said unhappily, "Your scents are very strong and intermingled."

Yukina glanced sideways at Kazuma. Would he admit to it? He looked extremely unsure and surprised, she guessed he had forgotten that demons have incredible senses of smell.

"We...ok, yes," Kazuma admitted carefully, "But that was last night, not today."

Hiei's demon features took over, his sharp teeth bared in Kazuma's direction, his now clawed hands clenched into fists, but he remained where he was and the features disappeared a moment later.

"Disgusting."

It was the only thing he said before he let himself relax and then he made himself at home, heading into the living room and laying on the couch, his feet propped up on the armrest and his arms crossed behind his head.

Yukina looked at Kazuma in surprise and he met her gaze with equal confusion.

"Did...did he just let that slide?" he asked her quietly, "I mean, he's never really had proof of us having sex before, he just assumed. I figured the first time he actually _knew_ he would at least throw a punch or two."

"I was expecting the same," Yukina admitted, "I guess...I guess he really has accepted you."

Kazuma's chest puffed out slightly and Yukina didn't blame him for feeling a bit of pride, she sure felt proud _of_ him for his accomplishment. She honestly never thought it would happen...but she would never tell him that.

"Come on," she said happily, taking his arm and tugging, "Let's go get ready for the day, Hiei looks comfortable enough for a moment.

Kazuma nodded in agreement and they went back upstairs to brush their teeth and such before returning downstairs. Hiei was no longer on the couch when Yukina came back down and she wondered where he'd gone, the shower water upstairs stopped and she knew Kazuma would soon be down so she started preparing breakfast for the three of them.

"AH!" Kazuma's yelp sounded from his room and Yukina sighed, letting her shoulders slump...she had a feeling she knew where Hiei had gone.

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Kazuma ruffled his hair with the towel as he stepped out of the shower and then wrapped it low around his hips before making his way down the hall to his room. He opened the bedroom door and came face to face (or face to abdomen in this case) with Hiei and he jerked in shock.

"AH!"

"I want a word with you."

Kazuma felt his spine tingle with an icy feeling of fear...he should have known he wouldn't get out of this unharmed and he felt incredibly vulnerable wearing nothing but a dang towel. Hiei backed up and then turned to walk further into the room before turning back around, his arms crossed unhappily and a dark expression on his face. Kazuma sighed, accepting he would have to face the demon with as much dignity he could muster so he stepped in and closed the door behind him.

"Alright, Hiei," he said with a sigh, "I'm listening."

"Did you hurt her?" The demon's words were grim and Kazuma was more frightened by the calmness then if he had just been angry and violent.

"What? No!" he quickly assured his friend, "I promise, Hiei."

"Then why are there bruises on her arms?" Hiei's voice was deadly calm but his eyes were blazing.

"What bruises?" Kazuma asked indignantly, unhappy with this turn of events. How dare Hiei accuse him of harming Yukina?!

"On her wrists, you idiot," Hiei informed him, "If I'm not mistaken, they appear to be fingertip shaped."

"I...no way!" Kazuma knew Hiei wouldn't be lying about this and he vaguely remembered holding Yukina's wrists in his hand during their tryst the night before...had he really grabbed them that tight? He immediately threw the door open and headed down to the kitchen and approached Yukina nervously.

"Hey, that's a really good look for you, you should wear clothes less often," she said as she scanned him up and down, Kazuma didn't even have the presence of mind to feel flattered, he just reached out carefully and lifted her hand up to get a look at her arms. Sure enough...he'd left obvious finger marks on the delicate, pale skin of her wrists.

"Do those hurt?" he asked, his voice shook slightly as he stared in dismay. Yukina looked down at her wrists and seemed surprised to see the bruises forming, she poked on experimentally then shook her head.

"No," she assure him, "Not at all. Why?"

But Kazuma was already halfway up the stairs when she looked up from her arm so she just shrugged and continued with breakfast.

Kazuma sadly returned to his room, his head hung low and shamefully as he approached Hiei.

"I didn't realize I grabbed them that hard," he said miserably, "You can beat the crap outta me, Hiei, I won't even fight you about it."

Hiei looked as if he was seriously considering it but he remained where he was.

"I'll ask you again," he said, his voice low and threatening, "Did. You. Hurt. Her?"

Kazuma shook his head.

"She said they don't hurt," he replied honestly, "I mean...her skin is pretty delicate so it doesn't really take much to do that, I guess."

"I should beat you into the floorboards," Hiei said unhappily.

"You'd be right to," Kazuma admitted, "I...really would prefer you didn't, but I wouldn't blame you. I promise though, Hiei, she never said anything about hurting at all last night."

A loud knock on the door interrupted their argument and Kazuma turned to see Yukina open the door, smiling nervously.

"I...uh...I made breakfast for us all," she announced, "So please stop threatening eachother and come down to eat. Look, Hiei, my arms are fine and Kazuma would never hurt me so can we just not argue for once?"

She held out her wrists and they could all clearly see the marks had disappeared from her skin, Kazuma sighed in relief. Hiei gave them both a squinty glare but nodded stiffly in agreement.

"Fine," he stated, "I will take your word for it, Yukina. But if it happens again, I will utterly destroy him for you."

"No need, Hiei," Yukina said with a laugh, "I have the capabilities to do so myself."

Kazuma gave his girlfriend an indignant look but she glanced over her shoulder and winked to let him know she was playing along with her brother to humor him and lighten the situation. She jerked her head for him to follow and he nodded, grabbing a clean pair of jeans and slipping them on then discarding the towel over the back of his desk chair to dry. Per Yukina's earlier request, he chose to go shirtless because she would like it and it would make Hiei annoyed...it was a win/win decision.

When he reached the kitchen Yukina happily looked him up and down before handing him a plate of food and then handed another to Hiei before grabbing her own and heading for the table, leaving the two boys to follow her.

They ate together in silence, no one making any attempt to make polite conversation. Hiei and Kazuma shot eachother angry looks across the table a few times but Yukina ignored them and sipped happily on her tea. She, for one, was glad Hiei had come to visit even if he had interrupted some promising morning sex for her. She liked having the two most important men in her life with her at the same time and she had to admit that it was amusing to watch the two of them bicker.

After breakfast, Kazuma dutifully cleaned the table and put the plates in the sink to wash them while Hiei and Yukina went into the living room to talk for a while. Kazuma strained his ears to listen but they were too quiet to hear and he didn't dare listen in telepathically because Hiei would be able to tell. He resigned himself to dish washing and then he went to join them.

Of course, Hiei had insisted Yukina sit at the end of the couch and he had planted himself squarely in the middle so Kazuma just rolled his eyes and chose to sit across from the on the other couch, leaning back and crossing his arms unhappily as he stared them down. Hiei, of course, stared right back with equal annoyance.

Eikichi must have sense the tension in the room and the heavy emotional state of her owner because she marched into the room with her tail held high and jumped gracefully onto his lap and let out a cheerful meow. Kazuma's unhappiness faded away as it always did when his precious cat was around and he visibly relaxed as he stroked her fur. He placed his hands under her front legs and lifted her up on her back feet to nuzzle noses with her and then he puckered his lips and tried to kiss her and she placed her paws on his lips and turned her head like every cat does in this situation but he just smiled and kept trying until he finally placed a kiss on the cat's head right between the ears. Kazuma released his hold and Eikichi purred loudly and curled up in his lap, he gazed down at her fondly and laughed softly as he scratched behind her ears.

"You kiss my sister with that mouth?" Hiei asked, eyeing the animal with distaste, "That's disgusting. It's disgusting to begin with, but that's even worse."

Kazuma's good mood immediately fell away and he glared up at Hiei through his eyelashes but remained silent to avoid waking his now sleeping cat.

"So, Hiei, how long are you staying today?" he asked through his teeth.

Hiei smiled wickedly and looked over his shoulder to the window where the rain was pattering heavy on the glass.

"Well, I'd hate to have to go out in the rain," he replied simply. "I guess I'll wait until it stops raining."

Kazuma squinted in distrust...he had a feeling if he checked the weather report he would find the forecast saying it would rain all day, and he had a feeling Hiei knew it as well.

"Well, how about we watch a movie?" Yukina suggested, trying to ease the testosterone induced tension hanging in the air. She stood up and started skimming through the collection of movies, holding them up for Hiei to see. It took forever for him to finally grudgingly agree to one and when he did it was Jurassic Park because Kazuma convinced him a lot of humans died in it...

As the movie progressed, Yukina let out small yelps of terror while Hiei laughed mercilessly at the humans getting eaten and mauled, which was highly unsettling to Kazuma but he let it slide as long as Hiei was entertained.

Yukina yearned to go and lay on the couch where Kazuma had stretched out with his arms behind his head propping him up to watch the movie, Eikichi laying on his stomach asleep, but she knew it would hurt Hiei for her to choosing to sit there instead of with him, especially considering if she did go over there she knew she would end up cuddled next to him, wrapped in his arms and Hiei would definitely not like that.

She sighed, thinking back to their interrupted morning and she felt a jolt in her tummy when she thought about the night prior and what they had done together...it was nothing like their first time, it was much more passionate and a lot less restrained and awkward, it had been the most amazing thing she'd ever experienced and she wanted so much more. It would have to wait until Hiei left.

She tried hard to watch the movie and not keep glancing over at Kazuma's bare torso, tried so hard not to let her eyes follow the trail of light ginger hair that began on his chest and led all the way down to where his jeans interrupted it, she really, _really_ tried not to think of what she knew that trail led to...she squeezed her thighs together as that jolt shot through her again and she jumped up from the couch with a sigh that caused both boys to look at her.

"What are you doing?" Hiei asked, sounding surprised.

"Sorry, I just am going to make lunch for you boys!" she covered her sudden rise as smooth as she could and assured them both that she was alright to cook on her own and that she really wanted to make it special for her two favorite men. They both seemed content with her words and went back to watching the movie, Hiei giggling wickedly as the Dilophosaurus spit in Nedry's eyes.

Yukina walked into the kitchen and made sure the coast was clear before she dug her fist between her legs to ease the intense feeling by rubbing the knuckles of her thumb against her really hard. She sighed when the needy feeling faded slightly, she sighed and actually tried to think of what she could make for lunch now that she dug herself into that hole and then she sighed and started gathering ingredients.

Of all days for Hiei to drop by for an actual visit, it had to be the first day they'd had alone in a long time? Then a very unpleasant thought hit her...he had chosen today because he _knew_ they were alone today! Oh, that little punk! She put her hands on her hips and turned to look into the living room, glaring at Hiei from afar and her breath caught in her throat when she saw that Kazuma had stood up and was stretching his arms over his head and arching his back in a huge stretch, the muscles in his shoulder and back accentuated beautifully from the stance and the throbbing in her crotch returned twice as demanding.

Darn it, Hiei, of all days...and then a wicked idea came into her mind. Why should she be the only one to suffer through this? She remembered something Keiko had told her on their drive back home a few weeks ago: teasing in a situation where you can do nothing about it at that moment, like when you have company at your house, made for incredibly fantastic sex later when the company left.

She grinned wickedly to herself. It made sense now that she was in the situation, if it all built up throughout the day then when you could finally release the tension it must be amazing. She looked around the kitchen and came up with a plan.

"Kazuma, can you come in here and get something from the cabinets above the sink?" she called out loud, "I'm too short, I can't reach!"

It was perfect. Hiei was not much taller than she so he would know he couldn't reach either and it was an innocent request so he wouldn't suspect anything was going on. Kazuma ended his stretch and turned around, heading her way.

"Yeah, sure, baby!" he said happily, "What do you need?"

"I need that pot to cook the noodles in," she announced loud enough for Hiei to hear, she glanced behind Kazuma and saw that her brother remained seated, in awe of the rocking Jeep where Nedry was being eaten.

Kazuma immediately flipped open the cabinet and easily reached in to grab it, making Yukina have to act fast. She quietly came up behind him and brazenly slid her arm around his side, grabbing him firmly through his pants. He yelped and his grip on the pot slipped and it clattered loudly to the counter, he had the sense to grab it quickly and press it firmly into the counter to silence the ear-piercing clatter. They both looked over their shoulders to be sure Hiei wasn't getting up.

"You huge idiot," the fire demon shouted, sounding amused, "You couldn't hold on to a stick covered in glue!"

Yukina noticed Kazuma let out a relieved sigh and then his eyes dropped closed, reveling in the feeling of her hand as she rubbed her palm over him gently. She smiled when she felt him react beneath her hand.

"When Hiei leaves," she whispered, letting her voice pour through her lips softly and seductively as she had seen in many romantic movies, "I want you to show me more about sex."

"Like what?" Kazuma asked, his voice strained.

"Anything you want," she assured him, giving him one last rub before withdrawing her hand and stepping back. She realized he was gripping the edge of the counter so hard his knuckles were white and she smiled when he took a breath and shakily released his hold on the granite. He seemed to force himself to turn around and he looked down at her in awe and surprise.

"You mean that?" he asked, his voice starting to take on that husky quality she noticed it only had when he was aroused. She just nodded, not breaking eye contact.

He nodded back and glanced up, seeing Hiei was starting to look around and get suspicious, and handed her the pot quickly as he passed. His other hand twisted behind him and grabbed her right butt cheek on his way out. Yukina jumped slightly and then she giggled and continued her cooking.

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"Come and get it!" she announced just in time with the movie's credits beginning to roll. Hiei and Kazuma, both obviously hungry, jumped up and both trotted towards the kitchen at the same time. Kazuma placed a hand on Hiei's head and pushed him down as he passed, laughing as Hiei ducked to try and avoid him. Hiei, in return, leapt onto Kazuma's back and did a leapfrog maneuver just as they reached the kitchen, landing on the kitchen floor near the table, Kazuma bent slightly under the demon's weight but just grinned as he took his seat across from him. Yukina placed the ramen pot on the table, the same type she'd cooked the first time that had been terrible...she had actually practiced hard and learned to make it correctly.

"Hand me your bowl, Hiei?" she held out her hand and Hiei handed her to dish, she filled it and handed it back then filled her own and Kazuma's and took a seat next to her boyfriend.

They all seemed to be in a better, more relaxed mood after the movie, Hiei must really have enjoyed it because even he was making conversation easily.

"What is the name of that big animal that ate the human on the toilet?" he asked, "I would very much like to see one someday!"

Kazuma smiled almost fondly at the Hiei.

"They're called dinosaurs," he corrected him, "The big one is a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a T-Rex...and I'm sorry but you can't see them, Hiei."

"Why not?"

"They aren't alive anymore," Kazuma informed him, "They're extinct."

Hiei's face took on a look of disappointment, Kazuma thought he looked like little kid who just found out Santa Claus isn't real.

I wish they were though," he continued, glad to be having a discussion with Hiei that didn't involve being called an idiot or a fool, "I mean, how cool would they be to see? Although, like the movie showed, putting them in a zoo would probably be a BAD IDEA!"

His last two words took on a loud squealing tone as he felt Yukina's hand grab him firmly under the table, he dropped his chopsticks and sat straight up in shock, his eyes wide.

"Are you going to drop everything you touch?" Hiei asked with a sneer, "What is wrong with you?"

"N..nothing," Kazuma fought to keep his voice steady as Yukina's hand cupped him and squeezed. "I have a...leg cramp...muscle twitching...very uncomfortable...I wish it would stop now!"

"I'll get those for you, Kazuma," Yukina said sweetly, her voice dripping with false innocence as she stopped him from getting off his chair to retrieve his fallen chopsticks. Kazuma watched in utter disbelief and terror as she ducked under the table...he knew what was coming. Sure enough, he felt her hand pull down the zipper of his jeans and pop the button in one swift motion before she was even off her chair.

He had slipped these jeans on in a haste earlier under the towel and he realized now he'd completely forgotten about the boxers...damn. Yukina's hand slipped into his jeans and gripped him, pulling him out with no hesitation and he did everything he could not to let his face give anything away to Hiei, the demon seemed totally unaware as he slurped up his noodles.

"There it is," Yukina's voice sounded from under the table and Kazuma had a feeling she wasn't referring to the chopstick.

"I think the idiot should be able to pick up his own things," Hiei stated disapprovingly.

"He is able," Yukina replied from near the floor, but Kazuma felt her hands come to rest on his legs, spreading them and he glanced down to see her looking up at him from under the table, a wicked grin on her face, "But it's harder for him to get into small spaces than it is for me."

He felt her hot breath on him and he took a deep breath to prepare himself for the next sensation. Sure enough, her tongue shot out and made a full circle around him. He clenched his fists tightly and stared directly at the wall behind Hiei, trying extremely hard not to let his face give him away. He heard Yukina giggle lightly and then she unceremoniously popped out from under the table and held up the chopstick.

"Got it!" she announced, smiling.

"Thanks, baby," Kazuma breathed as she handed the stick to him, she winked.

"No problem," she said, sounding almost _too_ sweet, "I enjoy doing those things for you."

The real meaning of her statement was not lost on Kazuma but Hiei rolled his eyes and groaned in annoyance.

"Helpless human," he grumbled.

Dinner passed far too slowly for Kazuma, Yukina's hand continued its work beneath the table in secret and he choked on his ramen three times during the whole affair, making Hiei question his sanity and basic table manners over and over again. Kazuma knew his face was probably beet red, he could feel his cheeks burning from the mental effort of remaining calm and the terrifying possibility of being caught in the act and murdered at his own kitchen table.

Finally, Yukina withdrew her hand for the final time and she stood up and began collecting the dishes and taking them to the sink. Hiei stood up and Kuwabara scooted his chair further under the table as the demon walked around to his side.

"What other movies do you have?" Hiei asked, almost sounding friendly, "I think I enjoy this past time."

"Feel free to rummage through and pick the next one," Kazuma replied, trying his best to sound inconspicuous, "I'll be there in a minute, I'm gonna help Yukina clean up so since she did all the work cooking."

Hiei nodded in approval.

"Maybe you're not completely useless," he stated before turning and heading into the living room. Kazuma made sure he was gone then let out a long, heavy sigh and tucked himself forcefully back into his jeans, practically begging himself to relax and fit back in there comfortably...because this was no comfortable at all. Yukina approached the table and leaned over to grab the nearly empty pot of ramen and Kazuma grabbed her arm with a little more force than he intended, making her look at him in surprise.

"Sorry," he apologized and relaxed his grip, "But what the heck, Yukina? Do you _want_ to get caught?"

"I wasn't going to get caught," she replied with a wink, "Plus, you know you liked it."

He blinked rapidly as he took in the wicked smile on her face...where had this sudden confidence and temptress persona come from all of a sudden? This was very unlike her.

"Hey, what gave you this idea?" he asked.

"Keiko."

He should have known.

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Hiei finally softened up and let Kazuma and Yukina sit on the same couch while he took the other, but his Jagan remained open and Kazuma knew he was watching them with it as his normal eyes watched the movie. Finally, halfway through the movie, his third eye closed and he seemed to relax and get into the show, giving Yukina the moment she'd waited for.

"Hiei, is it ok if kiss Kazuma in front of you?" she asked boldly, "You don't have to look, I just want you to know in case you look over so you don't freak out."

"Ugh," Hiei grumbled but he didn't say no so she took her chance and got on her knees to face the redhead.

"What's on your mind?" Kazuma asked nervously, looking over at Hiei out of the corner of his eyes.

"I just want to kiss you," Yukina replied innocently.

"Well...alright..." Kazuma knew it wasn't going to be that simple but he wasn't quite prepared for her plan.

Yukina smiled sweetly and started out innocently enough with a sweet kiss on the lips, short and unassuming...then she pulled him into a hug and he felt her head turn, her lips a whisper away from his left ear.

"Want to know what I'm thinking about?" she whispered.

Kazuma did want to know...very much. So he remained silent and nodded lightly.

"I'll tell you...in a little bit," she pulled back and smiled then she relaxed and leaned into his side in an innocent cuddle, her eyes focused on the TV. Kazuma waited on pins and needles and then realized when he looked down at her that _she_ was waiting for him to make a move. He braced himself and leaned down to give her a small kiss which she returned happily.

"I'm thinking about the way your tongue felt last night...down there."

Kazuma grinned. So, she'd really enjoyed that, huh? He let his chest puff out with pride and he smiled at her, feeling accomplished.

They waited another few minutes and the Yukina tilted her head back for another kiss which Kazuma eagerly gave her then he hesitated to hear her next statement.

"I'm also thinking you took it too easy on me last night."

Kazuma started a bit at that statement, he could have sworn he'd almost gone too far last night in terms of gusto...damn, what had he unlocked with those tricks last night?!

He jerked his head up and let out a nervous laugh, feeling giddiness bubbling up in him. This girl surprised him more and more every day. Hiei glanced over at them and shook his head in annoyance.

"How many times do you two touch lips in a day?" he asked with some obvious disgust.

"Many, many times!" Yukina replied happily, "You should try it sometime, Hiei."

Hiei fell silent and turned his attention back to the TV, clearly done with the conversation.

"Just thinking about those sounds you make...it makes me feel wet."

Kazuma sucked in a sharp breath and tried desperately to ignore the temptress whispering in is ear, but it was impossible. She'd gotten emboldened and was now on her knees with her lips to his ear in full view of Hiei, not even caring anymore.

"You're so big...and this time, I want every single bit of you."

"Yukina..." Kazuma whispered desperately, if Hiei decided to listen telepathically he was as good as dead.

"Feeling shy, Kazu?" Yukina's voice sounded like silk in his ear and he clenched his jaw and swallowed thickly, she'd never called him that before...

"Please, Yukina," he whispered back, tilting his head away to try and stop her words from reaching him.

"You better not be shy tonight," he heard clearly, "Because I know there's so much more you want to show me, but you're too worried about hurting me."

It was true...she felt so breakable in his hands.

"I'm not a weak little fragile piece of ice, you know?" she told him, her voice bordering on normal now. Hiei glanced over in interest.

"I never said you were," Kazuma replied, blushing brightly under Hiei's dangerous look.

"Good."

That semed to settle something and the rest of the movie passed in relative silence and comfort. The sun had set right after dinner and it had stopped raining...finally. Hiei stood up and looked at the pair on the couch, Kazuma's arm around Yukina's small form as she snored lightly from where her head rested on his shoulder.

"I am leaving now," Hiei announced unhappily as he looked down at his sister's sleeping form, "I cannot stay around here forever, unfortunately."

"You going back to Demon World?" Kazuma asked quietly so as not to disturb Yukina.

"Yes," Hiei replied simply, "I am trusting you to take care of her while I'm there. Do not make me regret my trust in you."

Kazuma nodded, and it was an honest nod. He meant it when he said he would do the best he could for Yukina as he always had.

Hiei nodded and headed for the door without another word, slipped on his shoes, and then he was gone in a flash.

Kazuma sighed and finally let himself relax, looking down at Yukina with a smirk. Of course she was alseep now after all her harassment and big talk...but then she popped her eyes open so quickly that he jerked in surprise, she grinned up at him.

"I thought he'd never leave," she said, her red eyes full of unbridled mischief, "It's about time."

It was going to be a fun night, indeed.

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 **Alrighty folk, I need your help!**

 **Next chappie is going to be pure smutty goodness.**

 **I want to know what you want to see in this just for kicks and fun chapter. Send me your "I want this to happen"s and I'll get it going!**


	23. Finally

**So, apologies for this taking so dang long to post! I have been severely sleep deprived lately and been out of town a lot! But here is a chappie for you, and thank you for your patience! I have about 4 chapters in the planning so bear with me, they will come soon :)**

 **Thanks again to kuwayukifan91 for all the suggestions and chapter rough drafts and awesome collaboration! And to Guest who made a suggestion in the review section, your request will be honored in an upcoming chapter, I promise ;)**

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As soon as the door shut behind Hiei, Yukina turned to face Kazuma, getting onto her knees on the couch next to him, she grinned wickedly.

"Finally!" she said gleefully, leaning forward to brush her lips against his ear, causing a shiver to make its way from his scalp straight to his groin.

"You do know you're gonna pay big time for all that teasing, right?" he asked, his voice already husky from the constant sexual tension since that afternoon.

"I sure hope so!" Yukina giggled. She didn't hesitate for a second, her hand immediately reached out, gripping him through his jeans. He jerked slightly in surprise at her forwardness but he relaxed as she smiled gently at him, relaxing his neck and letting his head fall onto the back of the couch as she worked the zipper separating their skin down. Yukina felt a sense of satisfaction in her teasing skills as he all but tumbled out into her hands and she grinned at him as she closed her hand around his halfway hardened length and gave a few gentle tugs to get him to full attention.

"You...are amazing," Kazuma whispered out loud, but it was more of a thought accidently stated than a direct praise.

Yukina laughed lightly and her hold on him disappeared suddenly, causing him to crack open one eye to see why she'd stopped. She locked her ruby red eyes on his and she winked, making the corner of his mouth twitch up in a smile, then she stood up before him and slowly, tediously lifted her shirt inch by inch until she slipped it over her head and tossed it aside with a flick of her wrist, her eyes dropped closed gently and she bit her bottom lip as she began running her thumbs under the waist of her pants.

Holy shit. She was strip teasing him!

She wiggled her hips slowly in a circular motion as she pushed her pants gently down from her waist and past her thighs, finally letting them drop to the floor and kicking them aside gracefully. Her eyes locked on him again, her expression one of pure lust. Kazuma gulped thickly as he took in the sight of his woman standing before him in the bright light of the living room, totally unashamed in her light blue bra and panties. She looked so confident and sexy, it was driving him insane!

"Kazuma?" she said softly, "Spread your legs please?"

"Anything you want, love," Kazuma replied, feeling giddy as Yukina stepped forward and dropped down to her knees in front of him, scooting forward to position herself between his knees. The anticipation was killing him.

Thankfully, she didn't make him wait long at all before her small hand gripped him firmly, determinedly, and she leaned down to cover him with her warm mouth. Kazuma's eyes dropped closed automatically from the intense pleasure that jolted through him at the contact and he groaned deep in his throat as she circled his sensitive tip with her tongue. He vaguely wondered what had come over her...this was the second time she'd completely taken the lead.

His thoughts flew out the window as she began to bob her head up and down, her lips sliding up and down his length with little to no hesitation. He fought the urge to buck his hips and he clenched his jaw tightly as he remained still and let her work her magic. He wasn't disappointed, soon enough she got bolder and took him deeper, much deeper than she had last time and he felt a little surprised at the fact that she even _could_ take that much in her seemingly tiny mouth. He felt himself hit the back of her throat and she gagged, her throat constricting around him, and he hissed sharply at the totally new sensation...too bad something that felt so damn good to him was so unpleasant for her because she immediately pulled back to recover herself before continuing.

Kazuma finally managed to gather himself enough to open his eyes and look down at her working on him but she was shielded by a thick veil of her sea foam hair so he gently gathered it together and pulled it back with one hand so he could see her face. She looked up at him, her eyes soft and shining with excitement as she continued her head bobbing. The sounds of her soft _mmphs_ of breath, the wet slurping sounds as she readjusted her mouth...it was insanely hot and Kazuma couldn't take much more. He yanked her hair insistantly.

"Yukina..." he said, a bit more sharply than intended, she looked up in surprise and backed off with a loud slurp.

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly, looking worried, "Do you not like it?"

Kazuma gave her a reassuring smile before his face shifted into a look of pure mischief.

"Of course I do," he said, pulling her to her feet and standing beside her. He swept her into a bridal style lift and dropped her ungraciously on the couch his hands on her thighs as he spread them insistently, "But it's your turn."

Yukina's face lit up and she blushed brightly when he got on his knees before her and began undoing her bra. He slipped it off her and tossed it aside carelessly, then slid his jeans off and pushed them aside as well. He leaned up and met her lips in a firm and demanding kiss, his tongue immediately slipping between her lips to trace the roof of her mouth. Yukina felt lightheaded already, but when his lips traced their way up her jaw line to her earlobe she began to tremble in anticipation. His breath was hot and soft on her ear and she waited on pins and needles for his next move.

She felt him smile against the skin of her neck he slowly began his descent down her body, his lips, teeth and tongue teasing as he went. Yukina gasped when he reached her chest and her hands flew to his back, her fingertips dug into his pale skin and she watched his every move with fascination as he made his way down to her stomach, his hands sliding down the inside of her thighs.

"I've been waiting for this all night," she whispered when Kazuma finally sat back on his heels between her knees, his gaze flicked up to meet hers and he grinned.

"This time will be even better than the last time," he promised with a wink. He wasted no time with any more teasing, his fingers immediately hooked her panties with his thumbs and yanked them down, resting her knees on his shoulders as he leaned forward and began working her vigorously with his tongue. She was already completely soaked, he mused, and that made his ego inflate a bit...all that from just anticipation and kisses.

Yukina tossed her head back and stared at the ceiling as she savored the feeling of his tongue working it's wicked magic on her core, she let her eyelids flutter closed and she let out his name in a long, quiet moan. This sound encouraged Kazuma and the force and speed of his tongue increased. Yukina grabbed firmly onto his hair as a jolt of pleasure shot through her and she felt his grin against her center. The next thing she knew, he'd placed a finger inside her and was doing that "come hither" movement again that had driven her so crazy last time, but she was not prepared for the insane pleasure that ran through every nerve in her body when his lips closed over her clit and he sucked gently...both things at once made Yukina arch her back quickly and Kazuma grinned up at her for a moment before he pulled back and eyed her curiously.

"Hey...you up for something new?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"That wasn't new?" Yukina asked, breathlessly.

"Well, ok, something _else_ ," Kazuma corrected himself. He was delighted when Yukina nodded with no hesitation, her face full of excitement. Kazuma backed up from the couch on his knees and nodded forward, "Alright, get on the floor and face the couch on your knees, lay your top half on the couch."

Yukina looked slightly unsure, but he knew she was trusting him implicitly because she immediately did just as he asked.

"Like this?" she asked innocently, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Oh yeah," Kazuma groaned as he stared in awe at her ass popped out in front of him, it was a sight he'd wanted to see for such a long time, "Just like that."

Without ceremony or pretense, he closed the distance between them, grabbing her hips firmly and leaning over her back, kissing her gently on the tip of her right ear. Yukina felt his firm member pushing into the skin of her butt and she blushed brightly as she imagined how this must look...but she wasn't nervous, not at all, the situation felt surreal and the air was thick with anticipation from them both.

"You want more?" his whispered growl in her ear made her gasp and she felt a new wave of wetness flow from her in excited preparation for the coming action. She nodded vigorously.

"Remember," she said seriously, "Don't take it easy on me this time. I can handle it."

His only reply was a grunt and a nod and the next thing she knew, he was inside her, filling her more than she ever thought was possible. She bit her bottom lip and dug her fingernails into the couch cushion beneath her chest, the sensation was completely different than when they'd done this laying on her back...it was...a million times more intense and so, so good.

She barely had a second to comprehend the action before he started moving in out of her at a steady pace, going a little deeper every time, his speed increasing and the force of his thrusts getting more and more powerful. Soon enough, Yukina heard the sound of their skin slap together as she took all of him in. It was almost too much, she considered, almost but not quite. The sounds coming from him and the way he was touching her made her feel that pressure building inside her that she'd felt the other night.

He must have felt it too because his moans and gasps turned into growling groaning and his hands grabbed her hips firmly, pulling her back a bit from the couch and changing the angle a bit. He released her with one hand and she felt it slide up her back and tangle into the ends of her hair...then he pulled, hard. She gasped at the slight pain and obediently tossed her head back and arched her back to ease the pull on her scalp which resulted in another pleased growl from her partner.

She felt his demeanor change suddenly and she found herself pushed firmly into the couch, her abdomen was dug into by the edge of the cushion and somehow that increased the pleasure tenfold, she let out an approving groan.

Kazuma watched her carefully as he pounded into her, watching her body and what he could see of her face for signs of discomfort or disapproval, but he was pleased to see that she was totally into it, she liked it rough...who would have guessed? He was glad, he didn't want to hurt her but he wanted revenge for her teasing all day, and this was his way of putting her in her place. He listened happily to his name spilling from her lips over and over again as he thrust into her in deep, pulsing strokes...he didn't think he could keep this up much longer.

Luckily, he didn't have to. He felt her begin to tremble and he knew she was very close so he reached around her front and took her nipples between his fingers, tweaking them firmly, enough to result in a sharp gasp from her and he knew it had done the trick when she began to pulse around him on the inside, her muscles rippled involuntarily, squeezing him even more tightly than before. He heard her let out a mix between a moan and a yell and he felt a sudden gush of wet heat as she came hard, the feeling of her body's blatant display of pleasure dripping down his thighs was the final piece of the puzzle and star burst before his eyes as he finally let himself go, thrusting deeply inside her one last time, riding out the pulses of his orgasm.

Completely spent, he laid his cheek on the center of her back and let his body relax on top of her, maintaining enough control to keep himself from squishing her. They remained connected while they both caught their breath, neither of them really wanting to separate and break their fantastic connection.

Finally, Kazuma straightened up and pulled out, watching in sick fascination as he watched the milky white fluid dripping out onto the carpet...he realized he probably should have laid a towel down or something. Too late now. He sighed and stood up, offering her a hand to help her stand and then he fell backwards onto the couch, pulling her down with him onto his chest. Yukina giggled as she snuggled into his arms, they just laid there and breathed for a while and enjoyed the feeling of eachother's heat and musing silently about how sore they both suddenly felt.

"You really let me have it that time," Yukina said, her smile was a naughty one, "What was that anyway? It felt incredible."

"Just another position," Kazuma informed her, "It's called doggy-style and I've always wanted to try it."

"But we aren't dogs," Yukina stated, sounding slightly unsure.

Kazuma laughed at her innocent confusion but he stopped when she gave him an unamused and cold stare, he raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

"No, baby, it's just called that because it looks like the way dogs do it," he said defensively, "It doesn't mean anything, it's just for fun. Lots of humans do it, it's not unusual."

"It's a weird name," Yukina mused, "But it was incredible. Very fun. I think it's my favorite."

Kazuma smiled and gave her a quick kiss, she smiled down at him.

"Shizuru won't be home till later tomorrow," she said with a grin, "We'll have time for you to show me more, right? I think learning new things is exciting."

"Of course, love," Kazuma replied eagerly, "In fact...maybe I'll just teach you more tonight. There's a lot for you to learn."

Yukina thought education had never been more fun.

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 **Whew, got one down! Got several more in the plans! Keep checking back and I'll keep posting, also, be sure to keep an eye out for my upcoming Attack on Titan fic in the making :D**

 **Read and review, I love to hear from you! (Hee hee...rhymes!)**


	24. Job Hunt

**It's my day off and I'm working on two fics at once! This is another collaboration chapter between kuwayukifan91 and myself (practically this whole story is one big collab!) so kudos to her and much thanks and recognition :D**

 **Onward!**

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The next morning, Kazuma was the first to wake up to the beautiful sound of birds chirping in the trees and he smiled happily at the weight of Yukina's body pressed up against his side, his arm was tingling and asleep underneath her but he dared not move it and wake her up. He was enjoying looking at her face in the morning light, like Sleeping Beauty herself.

He thought back to the night before and smiled softly at the memories. She'd been so satisfied by the time they went to bed, it made him feel pretty damn proud of himself and he was pretty damn proud of her too, she'd given him as much back in return. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her temple and very carefully slid his arm out from under her and slid quietly off the bed.

He stretched his arms over his head and glanced at the alarm clock. Only 7:30. He got an idea and grabbed his clothes, slipped them on and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. He walked down the steps, brushing his teeth as he walked, and started gathering stuff together to make breakfast before walking back up to spit and put the toothbrush back. He wondered why he'd even taken it down with him in the first place, but he was far too nervous about the day he had planned to think straight. Today could make or break his plans for after school ended.

He shook his head and tried to be confident about his chances and he went back downstairs. He started making a breakfast of pancakes and eggs with orange juice on the side and he arranged it perfectly on a tray. He turned to take it upstairs but then stopped in his tracks and looked down at the fairly average tray and set it down, turning to go out the back door. He eyed the rosebush Kurama had planted there months ago and he plucked a single red rose from it. Placing his freshly picked rose perfectly on the tray beside the glass of juice, he smiled at the way it completed the look of the whole thing and made his way upstairs to his room.

Yukina was still sleeping soundly, but she'd turned onto her other side and had her back to him now. He thought about the job he would be applying for this afternoon, the first step in his plans to start their future together. Having their own place to live together was his second goal and he imagined how wonderful it would be to have their own bedroom instead of constantly trying to decide between their two current ones...sleeping together EVERY night would be fantastic!

"Yukina," he said out loud as he set the tray on the desk, he leaned down and gently shook her small shoulder with his large hand, "Yukina, baby, it's time to get up. I made you breakfast."

Yukina blinked slowly, her eyes squinted against the bright light of the morning sun and she turned over on her back to look at him and she smiled gently.

"Good morning, Kazuma," she whispered happily, her voice thick with sleepiness. Kazuma smiled and placed a light kiss on her forehead, "You made me breakfast?"

"Yep!" he held the tray out to her and she sat up to accept it, the blankets slid down her frame and pooled around her legs, revealing her naked torso to him. He couldn't help but stare at her for a moment, and he considered suggesting they go another round, but he shook his head and looked away...he didn't have time for that just now, today he had things he needed to accomplish. He glanced around the room and grabbed one of his shirts and offered it to her, "Here you go."

Yukina accepted the shirt and pulled it on, then she lifted the tray onto her lap and smiled as she lifted the rose up to examine it closely. She raised it to her nose and took a long sniff, her eyes dropping closed as she took in the scent of it.

"Oh, Kazuma, this is beautiful," she said softly, and she immediately began to dig into the food he'd prepared, making his chest puff out a little bit with pride as her face took on the look of someone thoroughly enjoying their meal.

"Eat up," he said happily, standing and picking out some clothes for her to wear after her shower, "I got a few plans for us today. Well, I mean the first thing is more work related than fun...I'm going to apply for the Firefighter's training at the station. They have an open position coming up because someone is retiring and I want to be ready to go when the spot opens so I have a better chance to get the job!"

"That's excellent, Kazuma!" Yukina replied happily around her mouthful of pancake, "That's the job you've been wanting, right?"

"Right," he assured her, "The training starts right after graduation, so it all lines up perfectly!"

Yukina set aside her tray, a good sized pile of the eggs still remained.

"Here, you eat them," she offered kindly, "You need to eat and be ready for the day! I'll go shower and then we can get going."

"Ok," Kazuma agreed. She left the room with her arms full of stuff for her shower and he sat down on the bed and finished off the eggs in record time then began stripping the sheets from the bed, wrapping them in a ball before heading to the laundry room. He didn't mind playing the role of attentive boyfriend, not for Yukina...she deserved everything he did for her.

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Yukina sighed as she turned the shower knob to stop the water, the grime from her sweaty activities last night had washed off and she felt like she was shinyy and new as she stepped out onto the bath mat and grabbed her towel to dry off. She dressed and brushed her teeth, loving the feel of minty fresh breath as she straightened the front of her pink dress, her fingers traced the daisy flowers that lined the hem and she smiled, Kazuma always did like this dress.

She stepped out of the bathroom and almost collided with Kazuma as he exited the laundry room, he took in her appearance, her hair long and loose out of its normal style and he whistled approvingly, his eyes bright. She giggled and took his hand as they headed downstairs.

They grabbed their wallet and purse and Kazuma locked the door behind them as Yukina got into the car. Thankfully, Shizuru had left it for them in case they needed it. Kazuma slid in and buckled up and they pulled out onto the street, heading for the fire department.

"So, other than applying, what are the plans for today?" Yukina asked cheerfully.

"Whatever it is you'd like to do," Kazuma replied with a grin, "Today is all about you, my ice princess."

She smiled as he reached his hand out to her and she gladly accepted it, holding it on top of her leg as they drove.

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Eventually, they pulled up to a large brick building with two massive garage doors on the side of it, Yukina stared in awe at the huge, bright red machines that were sitting in the parking lot outside the doors, several people in bulky looking pants were walking around the machines, brushing them down with soap while others sprayed the soap off with hoses. Yukina wondered how these people managed to move around in the thick looking uniforms, although most of them were only wearing the pants half as they worked, suspenders holding them up over dark blue t-shirts with a logo on the back.

These people looked to be mostly young men, but there were at least two women there as well and a few older men stood inside the garage doors, scrubbing down some sort of equipment. They all looked strong, some of them may have even been as large or larger than Kazuma. She eyed his large frame out of the corner of her eyes, comparing the muscles on his arms to those of the men scrubbing the trucks...no, they weren't nearly as strong as him.

"Here we are," Kazuma said, parking them in between two yellow lines. They exited the car and made their way through the glass front doors with the firehouse logo on the front of them and made their way to the receptionist's desk. The sound of loud barking made Yukina jump in surprise and she turned to see what the noise was and was nearly knocked down by a white dog with black spots covering it's fur. She giggled as it put its massive paws on her shoulder and began running it's slobbery tongue on her cheek. The force of the dog's happiness knocked her right on her butt and she broke out into laughter as she tried to push the dog away from her face. Kazuma turned around and looked incredulous for a moment before he began to laugh and reached down to help her up.

"Oh, aren't you cute?" Yukina squealed at the puppy when she was on her feet again, because she realized now that this was definitely still just a baby. She ruffled it's ears and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Kazuma wasn't the hugest fan of dogs, he definitely preferred cats, but the sight of Yukina squishing it's puppy face between her hands made him smile and he had to agree it was a pretty adorable dog. He began petting it as well.

And older man came walking up to them quickly, his face full of concern. Kazuma looked up and then jerked to attention when he caught the "Captain" on his name badge.

"I'm so sorry about that," the man said apologetically, "She just gets so excited about new people. She's still learning, but she'll make a fine hook and ladder dog in time."

"Not a problem," Yukina replied happily, "She's lovely. She just took me by surprise is all. What's her name?"

"Reiko," the man replied, seeming relieved, he glanced at the completed form in Kazuma's hand, "My name is Gen, I'm the Captain of this fire station. Are you here to apply for the upcoming position, young man?"

Kazuma stood up straighter and nodded.

"Yes sir," he said confidently, "I'm applying for the summer training. My name is Kazuma Kuwabara and this is my girlfriend, Yukina."

Yukina bowed slightly in a respectful way.

"So nice to meet you, Mr. Gen," she said pleasantly, "And it was a pleasure to meet your dog as well. I like her a lot."

Gen chuckled and Yukina decided she liked the looks of him. He was a large man, his hair beginning to grey on the edges, but his grey eyes were alight with life and Yukina thought he looked like he enjoyed his job a lot.

"Thank you, young lady," he said, "And thank you for applying, Kazuma. We need more strapping young men like you interested in this job."

He looked at Kazuma for a moment and seemed to be considering him closely.

"Hey, you look familiar," he commented slowly, "Are you the young man who saved that guy from the apartment fire a while back?"

Kazuma blushed but nodded, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Yeaahhh...that was pretty dumb of me when I look back now, but I just...had a feeling someone was still in there," he admitted nervously.

"It took me a moment, but I knew I recognized you from somewhere," Gen laughed good naturedly, "What you did may have been dumb, but it was brave. A sixth sense is very important for a job like this though...tell you what, you hand me that form and I'll personally take a look at it. I'll have you approved for training for when you graduate and if you pass that test then we'll see about how well you fit in the open position."

Kazuma's jaw dropped but he handed over his papers immediately. Yukina clasped her hands together and smiled up at him.

"Wow, Kazuma!" she said happily, "How about that!?"

Gen smiled and accepted the papers, he spoke to the receptionist and then returned a moment later with a tattered old manual book and handed it to Kazuma.

"This has all the information you need for the written test," he informed him, "Study it through and if you pass that test then you can move on to the physical test and gear training. If you pass all that, I think we'll have a place for you here."

Kazuma took the book with a sigh. Great...more studying. He felt Yukina give him a light nudge in the side and she jerked her head encouragingly at the Captain and Kazuma immediately held out his hand to shake the older man's hand.

"Thank you so much for the chance, sir. I'll study hard, I promise!"

Yukina reached down to pet Reiko on the head once more and Kazuma clasped her hand tightly, his excitement obvious in the way he was grinning like an idiot. They both bid the Captain good day and waved as they left the building, the Captain waved back and then headed towards the bay with Reiko at his heels.

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A few hours later, after grabbing some sushi from a nearby restaurant, Yukina and Kazuma sat on a park bench near the duck pond, tossing handfuls of frozen peas to the creatures as they waddled around, quacking happily. ***do not feed ducks bread, it is bad for them***

"It sure seems like things are coming together for you," Yukina said cheerfully as they discussed Kazuma's good fortune at meeting the Captain face to face.

Kazuma relaxed against the bench and put his arms behind his head, closing his eyes against the bright sun.

"It's not just for me," he commented, "I'm doing for both of us. With a steady job, I can afford a place of our own and I can take care of you properly. I promise I'll always take care of you."

"I know you will," Yukina smiled leaning her head onto his shoulder, "I'm not a bit worried about that."

They relaxed for a while together, just taking in the sounds of the fountain in the pond and the quacks of the ducks and the wind in the leaves of the trees around them. Kazuma finally opened his eyes and stood, stretching his arms and popping his back. He glanced over to the vending machine near the restroom building.

"You thirsty, love?" he asked thoughtfully, "It's pretty hot out already and it's not even summer yet! Pretty dry day."

"That would be nice," Yukina agreed.

"Be right back," Kazuma trotted off and Yukina began lazily feeding the ducks again, smiling at the way their stubby tails wiggled in excitement as they ran towards the peas on the ground. The sound of gruff laughter made her look up and she felt nervous when she saw three men approaching her bench. They were all fairly tall and dressed in clothes that practically screamed 'troublemakers', one had his finger pointed straight at her and the other two were laughing gruffly.

Yukina chose to ignore them and she turned around to continue feeding the duck, hoping they would get bored of her and continue on their way. But they didn't and they were soon standing in front of her, scattering the ducks away with their unpleasant presences. Yukina looked up at them with an annoyed look. One had red hair, much like Kazuma's but his face was mean and coarse, the other two had black hair and dull features, obviously not the brains of the outfit...

"Hey, girlie," the redhead said, his voice highly unpleasant in Yukina's ears, "You're a good lookin' little thing. You got a name?"

He grabbed her wrist tightly in her hand and Yukina felt a jolt of fear mixed with pain at the contact and she tried to yank her arm out of his grip.

"Please let me go. You're hurting me!" she pleaded in her usual soft way.

One of the black haired boys sat on the bench beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, she hated the way he smelled...like tobacco and motor oil.

"We just wanna have some fun, sweetheart," he said with a sneer, "Don't look to me like you got a boyfriend."

The other back haired boy sat on her other side and brazenly ran his finger through her hair.

"She sure is pretty, huh, Boss?" he said.

Yukina was in too much of a state of shock to respond by using her powers and she found herself being pulled to her feet and dragged away from the bench. The boys were chuckling darkly and she felt herself beginning to tremble, her voice begging to come out in a yell but it was choked off by fear.

"Let's have a little fun, what d'ya say?" the red head hissed, like the snake he surely was. Yukina finally found her voice.

"KAZUMA!"

The three boys didn't even have time to wonder who she was calling for before there were two loud _clunk_ sounds and the black haired boys fell onto their knees with blood dripping down the back of their necks. Yukina noticed a soda can rolling away and she almost wanted to let out an evil laugh at the sight, but her musing was cut off when one of the black haired boys rose to his feet and ran off, screaming in fear. She looked to her left and saw Kazuma approaching, his large fists clenched in anger, another can of soda still in his right palm. He looked very serious...and very, VERY anrgy. Yukina felt a shiver run through her as she felt his Sacred Energy come to life, the force of his rage was obvious in the glow of gold around him as he started to toss the can in the air, his face twisted into a wicked grin as he approached the two remaining boys.

Yukina took the opportunity and ran from the two boys and skidded to Kazuma's side, gripping onto the back of his shirt. He glanced down at her wrist and she knew he saw the red mark from where she was grabbed because his energy increased even more.

"Which one did that to you, Yukina?" he asked grimly, his voice low and threatening. It was somewhat frightening and Yukina didn't say anything, she even looked at the red head thug with concern...surely Kazuma would break several of his bones if he knew...but her look betrayed the redhead and Kazuma was on him in a flash, his fist gripped tightly in the thug's collar, lifting him off the ground entirely.

"H-hey, man, we didn't know she was with you!" the black haired boy begged from where he still knelt on the ground, trying to defend his friend.

"It doesn't matter!" Kazuma growled, pulling his free fist back, the can of soda he'd been holding long abandoned on the ground by now, "You NEVER put your hands on a lady. Especially not my Yukina!"

His fist connected with the red head's nose and a sickening crack sounded in the air, making Yukina feel sick to her stomach as blood gushed like a gyser from the thug's now demolished nose. Thankfully, Kazuma released him and he dropped the ground, clutching his face as blood continued to gush through the spaces between his fingers. The black haired boy grabbed his friend's shoulders and urged him to his feet and they took off together across the park and out of sight.

Kazuma stood there in a fighting stance, his breathing heavy and full of anger, but Yukina gently placed her hand on his upper and tugged, causing him to look down at her. Immediately, his energy began to relax at the sight of her sad face.

"Please, Kazuma, no more violence," she begged soflty, "I just want to leave now. Can we please go home?"

"I'm sorry this happened, Yukina," Kazuma said unhappily, sighing as he spoke, "I tried to get here as quick as I could. Does your wrist hurt?"

Yukina eyed the red mark that her body had already begun to heal on its own and shook her head.

"No," she replied honestly, "It's not bad at all."

"Well then, let's get you home."

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They sat down on the couch together and Kazuma lifted her arm to examine it, the red mark was almost completely gone now and he sighed with relief. He hated seeing her skin marked up...unless it was a mark he made during their lovemaking. Those were the only marks she should EVER bear in his opinion, and even then he had a hard time justifying those sometimes.

Yukina noticed his troubled expression and she smiled softly at him and wiggled away from him, then she motioned for him to lay down so he did and rested his head in her lap, sighing peacefully at the feeling of her fingers threading softly through his hair.

"I'm glad you weren't hurt," she said, making his open one eye to look up at her, "Thank you for rescuing me...I didn't want you to fight though because if someone saw you, it could ruin your chances at getting that job. That scared me the most."

Kazuma closed his eye and grinned.

"Well, job or no job, anyone who messes with my girl gets a face full of fist-sandwich," he grumbled and flexed his arm in front of her to prove his point. Yukina giggled and ran her hand along the muscles.

"Let's forget about the fight, shall we?" she asked, the tone of her voice made Kazuma open his eyes and look up. She had begun to unbutton the front of her dress with a grin on her face, making Kazuma blush brightly as she bent over to give him a peek inside the article of clothing. She had that same expression he'd just seen only last night...her bedroom eyes.

He knew exactly what was going to happen and he sat up, blushing brightly as he turned to face her. She immediately moved forward to straddle his lap and he grinned at the sight of her undone buttons, the opening stopping just under the start of her cleavage. Such a tease.

"I can make you forget all about the fight, I bet," she whispered, "I'll make you feel so good you won't be thinking about _anything_ else."

"What fight?" Kazuma whispered back before he captured her lips in a passionate kiss, then pulling back and tracing kisses down her cheek to that spot behind her ear that always made her shiver and squirm. He was not disappointed and her hips moved side to side as she gasped at the sensation, bringing them closer together where it really counted. He slid his hand into the unbuttoned opening to take her breast in his hand but then he immediately tensed up and leaned back, meeting her eyes with a sad groan. "You better pull yourself together and fix your clothes."

Yukina was about to ask why and then she heard the knock on the door and she sighed. She immediately rebuttoned her front and slid off his lap, smoothing down her skirt and trying to make her hair look slightly tame. Kazuma was taking deep breaths and letting them out through pursed lips, forcing himself to relax. He tapped her leg and she nodded, rising from the couch and making her way to the entry.

She opened the door and came face to face with Botan, Yusuke and Keiko.

"Good evening," Botan said cheerily, "How are you two lovebirds doing?"

The trio made their way inside without so much as another word and Yukina stepped back to let them, then she walked back into the living room and gave Kazuma a disappointed look.

"Well...guess who's here."

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 **Whew! Sorry this took so long to get posted! My life is insane right now, but hopefully I'll have more time to write again soon. This fic is almost done, but there are still a few more chappies to come so stay posted!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Sorry for the long wait, people, but I went home to visit my family up North so I have had no writing time for about a week!**

 **But here is the next chapter, it was supposed to be part of the previous chapter but I forgot to add it on so I just made it a separate one!**

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Botan and Keiko plopped down on either side of Yukina on the couch across from where Yusuke sat next to Kazuma, who had an unimpressed look on his face, and they immediately began with their giggly comments.

"Sorry to pop in so unexpectedly," Botan said happily, "But we were headed out for dinner and wanted to see if you two were interested in joining."

"But it looks like Shizuru is still gone," Yusuke mentioned with a wicked grin as he kicked his feet up on the coffee table, "So am I correct in assuming you're not interested?"

Yukina gave Kazuma a strained look of unhappy acceptance. They could never seem to catch a break, something was always coming up right when things got good.

"I have a feeling we interrupted a little makeout session?" Yusuke pressed.

"You would be right," Kazuma said through gritted teeth, "I swear, you guys seem to have radars for this stuff. Most decent people at least call first before showing up on someone's doorstep and invade their evening. But, that's right, I forgot you're not a decent person, Urameshi!"

Yusuke immediately had his defenses up and the sound of the two friends bickering loudly and making threats on eachothers' lives soon filled the room.

Keiko rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Those two will be at it all night."

Yukina knew Keiko was right and she sighed, placing her chin on her palm as she watched the two boys roll their sleeves up, ready to throw down.

"So, what _have_ you two been doing?" Botan asked with a glint in her eye, "Anything good?"

Yukina couldn't help but return her friend's smile, albeit a bit less enthusiastically.

"No, Botan, we just got home and started to relax," she informed the eager Grim Reaper, "We were out all afternoon. Kazuma applied for Firefighter's training after school gets out."

Keiko perked up even more, a huge smile spreading from ear to ear.

"That's wonderful, Kazuma!" she stated loud enough to cut through Yusuke's threats, "I'm proud of you for making goals and trying for the job! I really hope you get it! Good to know _someone_ is trying to make something of theirselves."

"Oh, get off my back, Keiko," Yusuke moaned, "As if being a Spirit Detective wasn't an achievement! How many times did I save the world again?"

The couple began to bicker and Botan was giggling hysterically. Kazuma made his way around the trio and sat next to Yukina on the couch in the spot Keiko had vacated.

"This is frustrating the hell outta me," he commented grimly.

Yukina nodded sadly.

"But what can we do?" she asked in a defeated tone, "I mean, I don't want to be rude to our friends but...I really want to...still..."

Oh that was it. He was _not_ wasting this chance to be with Yukina before Shizuru got home! He stood up and put on his most menacing scowl he could manage. The three friends stopped their laughter and bickering and looked at him in surprise.

"What's up, Kuwabara? You look about ready to shit a brick." Yusuke commented.

"Everyone. Get. Out." Kazuma stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. The trio glanced over to Yukina with questioning eyes.

"He...he means to say we have plans tonight," she tried to soothe the situation, "Just plans for the two of us. It was nice of you to think of us, and we would normally be delighted to go with you, but we would rather be alone for tonight."

Keiko and Botan immediately nodded in agreement and gave Yukina a wink as they headed towards the kitchen to leave but Yusuke remained stubbornly rooted in the living room.

"Since when did you grow balls enough to be a demanding ass?" he asked snarkily. Keiko immediately ran back and slapped her hand over Yusuke's big mouth and began dragging him away towards the door.

"Have a good night, you two!" she called as she shoved Yusuke out onto the sidewalk before he could even get his shoes on. The door slammed and Kazuma let his shoulders sag with a massive sigh.

Yukina waved through the window and then she squealed loudly as she felt herself be scooped up, bridal style. Kazuma's mouth was on hers in a split second and she got into the groove with ease, adding her eager lips to the dance. Somehow, Kazuma managed to get his shirt off while he held her and she admired his almost effortless strength yet again.

"So, where are we going?" she whispered as he began to walk with her.

"To my room," he announced as he trotted up the steps with her, he dumped her uncerimoniously on the bed and then snapped his fingers, "But first..."

He turned around and ran back down the stairs, grabbed the phone off the wall and let it hang by the cord. No more interruptions.

By the time he arrived back to the room, Yukina was standing there in nothing but a set of light pink bra and panties, her eyes bright and her smile sly.

"So you didn't answer me earlier," she said, "You think I can make you forget all about that fight today?"

Kazuma swallowed thickly and grinned as he placed his hands on the curves of her hips.

"What fight?"

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 **Short, I know, I'm so sorry! There is more to come, I promise!**

 **Keep reading, keep reviewing, I am a review whore!**


	26. Kidnapped!

**Only about three more chappies to go on this story! It kind of feels good to be COMPLETEING a story because I tend to get uninspired after a while (or, in the case of my TWD fics, the fandom pisses me off to the point of being uninspired...).**

 **But my love for YYH and its fandom is still strong :)**

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Kazuma and Yukina had been so busy with eachother lately that they'd almost completely forgotten about the homework that was due the very next day, so the next morning found them sitting in her room on the floor, pouring over their various books and papers.

Still, Kazuma wasn't satisfied to spend the entire day working and having no fun, he wanted to go and do something, anything, with Yukina. He didn't really care what that activity might be, to be honest, as long as they did it together and Yukina enjoyed herself.

Besides his school homework, he knew he also needed to start studying for the Fireman's test and also practice the Sacred Energy as well...the responsibility of being a man with someone to take care of was a very big deal and he knew it would be worth it in the end even if it was difficult now. Yukina's happiness would be his reward!

The ringing of the phone downstairs made both of them jump and Kazuma came back to reality as Yukina jumped up and ran downstairs to grab it. He sighed and stood up, stretching the kinks out of his back from leaning over his books. He heard Yukina's footsteps coming back up the stairs and she entered the room with the phone held out towards him.

"It's Shizuru, she wants to talk to you. "

Kazuma sighed and rolled his eyes, but he accepted the phone and covered the receiver with his hand.

"She's probably going to ask me all kinds of questions so..."

"That's perfectly fine," Yukina giggled.

Kazuma held the phone to his ear and announced he was listening and that he already knew she was going to ask him probing questions.

"Hey, little bro, we're staying another day! Have fun, you two!"

Click. The call ended and Kazuma just stood there in shock at the sudden loss of conversation. He clicked the phone off and shook his head with a grin.

"I can't believe she just hung up on me."

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A little while later, Yukina was standing in the kitchen washing dishes, conversing happily with a pair of sparrows that landed on the windowsill. They were chirping and she was giggling and Kazuma smiled at the sight when he entered the kitchen. He glanced around and noticed that the whole kitchen and living room were spotless, cleaned to Shizuru's immaculate standards.

"Hey, I didn't know you were gonna clean the house," he commented as Yukina set another dish in the drying rack. She turned to look at him and beamed happily as she dried her hands with a towel.

"Oh, it was nothing," she assured him, "You were doing homework and I'm done with mine so I had nothing else to do. I didn't want to disturb your studying."

Kazuma nodded in acceptance and hung the phone back where it belonged.

"Shizuru said they're staying another day at the beach," he announced, "Before she very rudely hung up on me."

Yukina giggled.

"Shizuru sure is in a category of her own," she said.

"Yeah...a category for psychopaths."

The phone rang again at the moment and they both jumped in surprise, Kazuma momentarily panicked, thinking maybe somehow Shizuru had bugged the house and heard what he'd just said.

"H-hello?"

"Yes. Is this Kazuma Kuwabara?"

"Yes it is," Kazuma replied, not sure who he was speaking to, but knowing the voice was familiar.

Laughter came through the receiver. "It's me, Gen. The fire chief. How're you and the missus?"

"Oh, hello, sir! We're doing well, thanks. Sorry, I thought it was my sister calling." Kazuma's heart squeezed and he wondered why Gen was calling him so soon.

Another laugh on the other end of the line, booming and joyful. "Ah, yes, sisters. Well, listen, kid, I was calling to see if you'd be available to take the test on the 23rd of next month? That work for you?"

"Oh yes! That's perfect, thank you!" Kazuma felt ready to burst with excitement.

"Good. See you then, kid. We need more people like you in this profession, excited and enthusiastic."

Kazuma bid the fire chief goodbye and hung up the phone with a massive smile across his face. He turned to Yukina and scooped her up and swung her around with a an excited yell.

"I take it that was Chief Gen?" Yukina laughed brightly as he set her back down.

"It sure was! I'm in for the test next month!"

"Oh, Kazuma, I'm so excited for you!" Yukina smiled brightly and stepped into him for a hug. He gladly returned the hug and then took her chin in his hand and leaned down to give her a kiss.

"You mean excited for _us_?" he corrected her when they broke apart, his eyes bright with excitement. She nodded sincerely.

"Yes, for us! Just keep studying and I know for a fact that you'll pass!"

Kazuma beamed and took her hands in his.

"I say this calls for a celebration," he suggested, "Anything particular you'd like to do tonight? We can stay in or go out, I don't really care as long as it's with you."

Yukina considered this for a moment and decided it would be best not to be out too late on a school night and it was already late into the afternoon.

"How about we stay in and I'll make all your favorites for dinner?" she suggested.

"Sounds perfect!"

They spent the next few hours laying around the house just talking and spending time with eachother, they told eachother lame jokes and played a few rounds of Slap Jack and eventually they curled up together on the couch to watch a movie, Kazuma wrapped protectively around her from behind, playing gently with her hair. He admire the color of it, the soft, silkiness of it...he even loved the smell of it.

He recalled their almost breakup at the library. Since that day, Yukina's devotion to him hadn't faltered in the least and the thought made his heart soar. She had become just as loving and open with him as he had always been to her and he admire the way she'd matured and grown since that day. Between winning her affections, gaining Hiei's approval and the massive amount of physical love they'd been sharing, he realized now as they relaxed on the couch just how stressful the last few months had been...but it had been worth it.

Graduation was coming up and he finally felt like his life was falling into place...he just had to stay focused and make it through these next couple weeks! If he continued to focus on his studies and work hard, he knew it would be alright. He glanced down to his hand that was resting on Yukina's hip and he raised it slightly, allowing a tiny ball of Sacred Energy to form in his palm...even this new energy was getting a little easier to control.

The movie ended and Yukina gave him a kiss before standing up to go make dinner. She insisted he couldn't help out and he grudgingly agreed and relaxed on the couch, flipping on a comedy show on TV. A little while later he heard Yukina curse lightly and his ear perked up, she never swore hardly ever!

"You ok, baby?" he called, worried.

"Yes, I'm sorry!" Yukina called, her voice sounding embarrassed, "We just don't have any of that yellow stuff Shizuru puts on the toast...butter, that's it! We don't have any butter!"

He heard her rustling around and then she was beside the couch, her purse in hand.

"I'm going to run to the store and grab some," she announced and Kazuma rose to go with her but she shook her head.

"What? I can't go with you?" he asked, confused.

"It's supposed to be a surprise dinner," she told him sternly, "I need to grab a few other things and I don't want you to know what I'm cooking. It's only just down the street and I've gone by myself before so I'll be just fine. You've been studying hard today and you deserve a break, so you just rest here and I'll be back soon. Ok?"

"You sure? I can keep you company...you know, _outside_ the bedroom just as well." he waggled his eyebrows at her and she giggled and blushed brightly.

"Don't say things like that! I'll be right back!" she began to walk off and then she turned, her eyes were soft as she looked at him, "I love you, Kazuma. I am very proud of you."

And she was headed for the door before Kazuma could say another word, he smiled after her and then sighed as the front door closed behind her. He laid back on the couch, his arms under his head and he blinked heavily a few times...maybe Yukina was right, he _did_ need to rest a bit. He was asleep only minutes later.

His dreams were full of Yukina, as always. She was wearing a white wedding dress, a handful of roses clutched in her hands, her hair was pulled up in an elegant bun atop her head and she wore a veil on her head that flowed down over her face, delicate designs in the lace. On her face was the sweetest smile. But then he felt a twist in his gut and he felt sick as a dark, shadowy figure with red eyes appeared behind his lovely woman, his bride to be, and reach out it's horrible hands to grab her from behind. She screamed his name and it echoed all around as she disappeared into the swirling, shadowy mass. Kazuma clutched his chest, too frozen to even take a step forward. The aura around him was too heavy, too dark, too strong! He tried to scream Yukina's name but he found his voice was gone and he couldn't even make a sound. All around him was a feeling of hatred and malice and a deep, gorwling voice filled his ears.

"YOU HAVE TWO DAYS!"

Kazuma's eyes shot open and he looked around in terror. He was still on the couch, in his house, but a cold sense of dread was still present. He panted wildly and he felt his Sacred Energy going crazy inside him, he jumped up and looked around, sending out his energy to search for Yukina's presence...she was not in the house and he glanced at the clock on the wall. She'd been gone for hours! Shit, he'd fallen asleep for hours!

He spread the energy probe out to the nearby placed in town, the market specifically, but he did not feel her presence anywhere nearby. He ran upstairs to check all the room, just in case, but her bedroom was empty, the bed made and tidy. His room was empty too. He ran back downstairs and checked the backyard. Nothing. He ran back inside and stood in the middle of the living room, looking around wildly.

Suddenly the dream came back to him and he fell to his knees, clutching his skull tightly, his eyes wide with horror as the feeling of dark and malevolent intent hit him again like a tidal wave. He was shaking all over and he suddenly realized...it had not been a dream, but a vision. His emotions went from fear to shock to disbelief and then pure rage as it all fell into place.

Yukina had been kidnapped.

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	27. Launching A Rescue

**I believe this is the next to last chapter of this story you all! I am finally going to FINISH a story, omg!**

 **Here we go!**

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"Are you positive she was kidnapped, Kuwabara? I mean, you sure she didn't just see someone she knew and is spending some time with them? Or maybe Hiei showed up and she's out with him somewhere." Yusuke asked from his spot where he was perched on the top of the desk. Kuwabara sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands looking miserable. He was too angry and too scared to even speak and his mind was swirling with questions and doubts.

 _What was that thing? What did it want from him? Why did it take her?_

He was raging inside at the injustice of it all. After all his hard work to win Yukina's heart and finally gaining Hiei's acceptance and his future finally falling into place...and now she was gone, just like that and he had no clue how to get her back or where to even begin trying! The more he pondered and came up empty, the more his energy flared up and soon he was totally surrounded by bright golden rays of it.

Yusuke suddenly jumped off the desk and pointed wildly at his friend.

"Whoa! What the hell is this? That...that's...it feels just like Sensui's energy!" he shrieked.

Kuwabara didn't answer, he just growled and stood up quickly, his hands balled into fists at his side as he glared daggers at the floor. Items began to lift off his desk and shelves, floating several inches from their resting surfaces. Yusuke looked around the room in shock and awe as things began to swirl around the vicinity. Kuwabara's anger was building and building until he finally let out a loud and strangled roar of a yell that was a strange mix of Yukina's name of a growl. The entire room flashed bright golden and Yusuke was knocked right on his ass, then it faded away and all the items in the room dropped around them.

Yusuke stood shakily to his feet.

"H-hey, man, calm down, ok?" he said a bit nervously, "We'll find her, I promise."

But Kuwabara didn't answer, he was sitting back on the edge of the bed with his shoulders hunched and his head hung so Yusuke sat down next to him and paced a hand on his shoulder in comfort. But Kuwabara just slowly began to lean to the side and then he collapsed into the pile of homework on his bed, totally passed out from the energy expenditure.

Yusuke shook his head with and studied his friend carefully. _When the hell had he obtained the Sacred Energy?!_

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"He's still upstairs, passed out like my mom after a bender," Yusuke announced as he opened the door to find the rest of the gang on the doorstep, "The energy in here was crazy powerful...I had no idea he'd gotten this strong!"

They all wandered into the living room and sat down on the couches, Keiko crossed her hands over her lap and sighed unhappily.

"Poor Kuwabara. He must be out of his mind with worry."

Shizuru nodded and blew out a smoke ring.

"I've never seen him quite like this," she admitted.

"We showed her picture around the area, no one had seen her," Kurama announced, tossing the picture they used on the coffee table, "The store owner said she'd never been there at all today. Botan didn't see her anywhere around town either from aerial view."

Botan shook her head sadly and then shoved her face in her hands.

"She's just gone. Like, vanished! I don't know where to even begin looking!" she whined.

"I would go as far to say she's not vanished," Kurama said thoughtfully, "I am more of a mind to believe it was meant to look that way purposely."

Everyone looked confused.

"On purpose?" Keiko asked, voicing everyone's thought.

"Kuwabara said that it was a dark figure with red eyes," Kurama explained, "And the fact that we can't sense her spirit energy in this town makes me think...she's in Demon World."

"But Koenma and I contacted Mokuro and the Yomi and they say nothing has turned up on her there either," Botan said quietly.

Kurama looked at Botan with an odd expression.

"That makes me think...maybe they are repressing her spirit energy, we know it's possible with the ward Tarukane used and they took her to Demon World where their own energy would be stronger and Koenma has no control there. But...why two days? According to Kuwabara's vision the limit to find her is two days. And, also, why do they want her?"

"She produces Hiruseki stones," Yusuke shrugged, "That's what they took her for in the first place. Those things are worth a ton of cash!"

"It doesn't matter WHY she was taken," Shizuru snapped, "What matters is where."

"We don't have much time to be speculating, you're right," Kurama sighed in agreement, "The main thing is to get her back alive."

"Where is Hiei?" Botan asked suddenly, looking around as if the small demon would simply appear out of thin air, "Shouldn't he have been here by now?"

"He was sent on a mission by Mukuro," Kurama informed her, "But she's sent a message to him so he should be here very soon...and I think he'll probably come down pretty hard on Kuwabara when he does get here."

Yusuke stood up quickly and started pacing around the room.

"I just have one question," he whined, "HOW did Kuwabara get so damn strong all of the sudden? Where did he get that Scared Energy?!"

Kurama sighed and rolled his eyes, pulling Yusuke down on the couch to explain the finer points of power attainment and human vs. demon energy.

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Kuwabara blinked slowly as he came to from his faint, looking around the room he suddenly remembered he was alone...and why he was alone.

"Yukina..." he said sadly as he sat up and rubbed his eyes, his energy began to flow out again as his mind filled with images of her smile, her hair flowing in the breeze and that adorable little way she cocked her head when she was curious about something, and memories of her giggles and voice.

And suddenly those memories turned to real sounds, he could actually hear someone's voice...someone crying.

"Kazuma. I know you'll find me...but I'm so scared. Please...please hurry."

Kuwabara sat straight up to attention and his eyes went wide. He knew that voice!

"Yukina? Yukina is that you? Where are you?"

A minute or two passed in silence and he forced his energy to focus completely on her distress call, finally it came to him again, barely a whisper.

"K-Kazuma? You can hear me?"

"Baby, don't waste words. Where are you? Do you know who took you? Are you alright?"

"Th-there were two of them," Yukina's whisper was like a cool breeze over his mind and he closed his eyes to focus on it more closely, "They came up behind me and hit me in the back of my head."

"Are you hurt, Yukina?" he repeated his former question again.

"No, I'm not hurt," she assured him quickly, "I'm locked away somewhere...all I know is this has something to do with Hiei...but I didn't hear what."

He was relieved to know she was unharmed at least, it wasn't much but it was something.

"Do you know where you are? Everyone is here and we're going to come for you. Give us some clues!"

All...all I can remember was a tunnel, an underground tunnel...the rest is fuzzy...I know I'm in Demon World and it's a tiny room with a red door..."

Silence and then a sniffling sob.

"I don't know how to get out of here...I'm so scared, Kazuma!"

He felt his energy begin to weaken from the intense use and he sense her begin to tense with fear as their connection weakened. He put one more large amount of effort into the connection and sent a soothing wave to her mind...he was glad to know it worked when she sighed and relaxed.

"Yukina, I promise we will come for you. I will come for you. We'll be there before the deadline and no one will hurt you...never again! I should have gone with you earlier, I am so sorry!"

"Please...don't apologize, Kazuma. From the way it sounds, they are after Hiei...they only used me to get to him. They would have gotten me eventually so don't put this on your shoulders."

Kuwabara heard a voice that sounded faint through the distant connection.

"Master Kikou says it's dinnertime, sweetcheeks."

A little flit of panic came over Yukina's mind. "Kazuma, I have to go, they're coming in. Please...stay safe. I love you!"

And, just like that, the connection was done.

Kazuma was breathing a little bit easier now that he knew she was alive and relatively safe...but he was furious as well. How could Hiei possibly tell him he was bad for Yukina when her own brother couldn't protect her from his past?

His eyes were filled with determined anger, but his heart was filled with love and faith that he would rescue her...and he vowed she would be back in his arms in twenty four hours. Fuck two days!

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Two hours later, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama were dropped off in Demon World. Botan insisted they use the Spirit Communicators while they were on the mission to keep them all informed back in Spirit World where the girls waited with Koenma for updates.

As they walked, Yusuke stretched and yawned. "Man, I miss it here sometimes."

"Oh yeah? Old memories?" Kurama teased.

"Something like that," Yusuke said with a grin, "But I think I'd go with nightmares, not memories."

Kuwabara glared at the pair over his shoulder. "Come on, you guys, this is no time for joking around! Yukina needs us!"

"He is so whipped..." Yusuke commented as Kuwabara ran ahead at full speed, forcing the two demons to up their pace to follow him.

"Would you act differently if this was Keiko we were rescuing?" Kurama asked, shrewdly.

Yusuke pouted thoughtfully for a moment but then nodded in agreement.

"So...he can sense emotions now? AND hear voices?"

"Kuwabara is now officially the strongest human in all three worlds," Kurama informed his friend, "His strength comes from Yukina and his strong sense of resolve. Love is an amazing source of power."

The fox demon looked up ahead at his tall friend's back and smiled, whispering his next words for himself and not Yusuke's benefit:

"Something he taught me much about."

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After a while, Kuwabara's energy search led them to an empty desert. About halfway into it, they came to the mouth of a cave that appeared to lead into a tunnel.

"Are caves all the rage these days or something?" Yusuke groaned, "I HATE caves and lately all our battles seem to be underground."

"It's always a good place to hide," Kurama stated unhappily, "Especially for demons since purchasin a hideout and paying off guards and higher-ups is expensive. This tell us these guys are probably mere thugs and not high level criminals."

The entry to the cave was dark and musty and Kuwabara thought the smell that wafted out of it smelled like a morgue...it was a very off-putting scent, but it didn't change his resolve as he ducked down and went inside. All that mattered was finding Yukina! He sent his energy out again, seeking confirmation that this was the right place, his heart jumped when he felt her presence very close.

"Kazuma! You're here!" her voice filled his mind.

"I told you I would be, baby! Yusuke and Kurama are with me...I'm coming, my love. You'll be safe soon!"

Yukina seemed to relax slightly at his words but she remained vigilant.

"I will see you soon, Kazuma. I must go, I hear a guard coming. Be safe!"

"Is she in here?" Yusuke asked, approaching his friend carefully from behind.

"Yes," Kazuma smiled genuinely for the first time in hours, "She's in there still and she's safe. I sensed two guards in there, relatively strong but nothing too exciting. We'll take them easily."

At that moment, a black flash flitted across their vision and they turned their heads to see Hiei standing next to them, looking furious and deadly.

"Nice of you to finally show up," Yusuke commented snarkily.

Hiei was not in the mood. He pointed an accusing finger up at Kuwabara and glared.

"You. Come with me."

Kuwabara sighed and followed the demon a few feet away from the others. Hiei spun around and hissed loudly, but Kazuma merely raised an eyebrow, not in the mood for Hiei's crap.

"You were supposed to take care of her! You promised! I should have known better, give you a tiny bit of trust and you throw it right out the window!" Hiei snapped.

"Oh shut your annoying word hole, Hiei!" Kazuma was fed up with Hiei's accusations...this was _his_ fault after all! "You know she's alive down there and we do NOT have time to be arguing with eachother when we have a rescue to carry out! And, just so you know, she was taken for something YOU did! They're using her to get to you! So why don't you enlighten us all to what you possibly could have done to piss these people off enough to kidnap your sister as ransom for you!"

Hiei's hand went to his sword. "You are a fool! You dim witted human! I hate humans, all you're worth is..."

What humans were worth, Kazuma never heard because his fist connected to the demon's face and sent him flying back several feet, landing heavily right on his back, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Hiei was stunned! He'd never felt such an effective punch...not from a human! This punch carried with it all the strength of Kuwabara's heart.

"You...you were supposed to protect her," Hiei gasped as he sat up again.

"She's not as weak and frail as you think, Hiei!" Kazuma replied grimly, "I can't be at her side twenty four hours a day, Hiei. I CAN promise that I will always be there to bring her home again. What bothers me if that she's been taken because of YOU, not me! Humans this, humans that, you always talk us down like we're the stupid ones...but right now, this human is going to go in there and rescue your sister, my girlfriend, and nothing is getting in my way! Not even you!"

Kazuma turned on his heel and headed for the tunnel entrance again, passing Kuram who was smiling and Yusuke who was smirking, and they followed right behind him. Behind them, Hiei stood up and licked the blood from his split lip off, a grim smile spread over his face.

"An impressive display, Kuwabara," he muttered to himself, "You've come a long way..."

Casting his doubts aside, Hiei followed Kazuma's lead, making his way into the tunnel to rescue his sister.

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 **BOOM! This is coming along!**

 **One more chapter, folks! See you there!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Here it is, folks! The final chappie! I am SOOOOO sorry that this took so long to get up what with the death of my computer, work and being involved in a few Tumblr writing weeks and working on several stories at once…**

 **But here it is now!**

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"Man, this sucks! How much longer until we reach the place they're holding Yukina? I am so tired of walking in this crappy cave. I hate caves…" Yusuke was going on and on as they traversed the twists and turns of the underground tunnel system, lit by the light of his Spirit Gun and led down the many paths by Kuwabara's Sacred Energy that still had a firm read on Yukina's location.

"It's not much further," Kuwabara told his companions, "Just a little ways ahead it feels like a large open space. She's there."

"Hello, guys, can you hear me?"

Botan's voice came through their communicators and they stopped for a moment to look at their screens. Botan came through the fuzz, sitting at Koenma's desk with a paper in her hand.

"We're here, Botan," Kurama whispered, "Do you have new information?"

"Yes! After some research on the description you gave us, Kuwabara, it turns out he is in our files. His name is Kikou and he's in charge of a group of kidnappers who steal family members of well-known or wealthy demons who owe him or other demon criminals a debt and hold them for ransom. He's not picky either, he will take anyone from anyone. We knew it was him because he always leaves the ransom message in a dream or vision."

"But why did he send the message to this idiot instead of me?" Hiei asked angrily.

Botan shrugged.

"Hiei is not the easiest demon to find," she mused, "Maybe Kuwabara was the easiest person who was close to her to reach."

Kuwabara turned on Hiei, eyes flashing dangerously as he stepped up to tower over the small demon.

"Alright, Hiei, enough of this stupid secretive crap!" he growled threateningly, "Tell us what you did. Why are these assholes out to get back at you?!"

Hiei smirked, but his eyes betrayed his nervousness. "Has it occurred to anyone that I've been a sought after criminal for my entire life? I can't even begin to tell you the amount of bounties that were on my head before the Tournaments. No one has the nerve to challenge me now that they've seen me fight…but there are still demons out there who want me gone, the fools. How do they possibly think they can best me? But, to answer your question, I do not know who these demons are or what they want from me."

"Maybe they figured taking your sister may just knock you off your high horse," Yusuke suggested, one eyebrow cocked up.

"I think they assume that after the tournaments, Hiei has let his training go," Kurama suggested, "They probably think he has weakened since then or gotten lazy. Plus they have the added leverage of having his sister, the only person he is known to care for. It's very clever…too bad they don't know Hiei never stops training."

"There's more, boys, and you really need to know this stuff! Kikou feeds off of emotions. Especially feelings of hate, sadness, anger or anything negative. He WILL use them to his advantage to create your fears into illusions. Please be careful and don't assume anything you see is real!"

Kuwabara halted the progress of the team and his back stiffened.

"We're very close," he said quietly, "Turn off the communicators before they hear us!"

They told Botan to stay available in case they needed her and then shut their communicators and the hall fell into darkness. Kuwabara sent out a hint of energy and sensed movement ahead.

"They have Yukina," he said in a panicked whisper, "They're moving her to where Kikou is!"

"Well then, hell, let's go!" Yusuke lit his finger again and sprinted ahead.

It wasn't long before they saw a light shining ahead at the end of the tunnel and they ran full out into a wide open cavern, nearly as big as Sensui's old hideout and at the far end, two ugly and low class demons stood on either side of Yukina, which was gagged and tied to a post. When she saw Kazuma, her eyes went wide and she let out a muffled cry of his name.

Kuwabara looked ready to destroy the entire cave when he saw her like that but he was relieved to see that she was unharmed, just scared.

"Don't worry, baby," he called to her, "Stay calm, we're gonna get you out of here."

Then, a horribly sickening laugh flooded the cavern.

"Don't bother coming any closer to her or you will see her suffer." The voice's tone was cruel, but playful as well, which made it even more sinister, "Welcome to your downfall. You are the first guests to this cave to be early. Usually they show up too late on the second day or they never show up at all. I usually end up killing the pursuant, then the hostage and keep the money. You four seem to be eager for your deaths to come so soon."

A shadowy figure emerged from the dark corner behind the guards, his dark cloak covering his face and body, dragging behind him on the floor. Kuwabara recognized the presence immediately.

"That's him," he muttered grimly, "The son of a bitch from my dream."

Teeth flashed beneath the darkness of the hood, a wicked smile, and the figure reached a grey, cold, claw-like hand out towards Yukina, threading a few strands of her hair around his horrifying fingers and raising them to his face to sniff them.

Kuwabara felt white hot rage course through him and he made a move to charge but Kurama's arm shot out to hold him back and the red haired demon shook his head.

"Wait." He said firmly.

The dark figure let go of Yukina's hair with a flourish and bowed low. "I am Kikou, Lord of Nightmares, and I am very pleased to meet you all. However, Hiei is really the only one I need here since he is, after all, the reason for this."

Yusuke had apparently heard enough and he raised his Spirit Gun.

"Ok, I'm gonna give you assholes one chance to release Yukina to us…if not, you die. Your choice."

Kikou's withered hand reached up to the hood of his cloak and pulled it back from his head, revealing his face at last. His hair was jet black that hung down to his shoulders, his skin grey as death, and his eyes were a crimson red. The same eyes Kuwabara remembered from his dream.

"I see no point in fighting with all of you," Kikou said with a nasty grin, "I don't even have to touch you, I can use your thoughts and fear against you. You will destroy yourselves from the anguish if confronting your tarnished souls. Especially you two."

He pointed at Hiei and Yukina, red eyes glowing brightly. Hiei drew his sword and Kurama produced his rose whip, Kuwabara followed their leads and created his Sacred Spirit Sword with a furious growl. But Kikou only chuckled and reached out a hand toward Yukina, his taloned finger slid along the back of her neck and she let out a shriek of terror, her eyes wide and unfocused, vision of fear and pain filling her mind.

"I normally don't get attached to those that I capture," Kikou said softly as he leaned down to get closer to Yukina, "But she is a rather beautiful demoness, I see why you vie for her. I think I may keep her for myself after I dispatch you."

Seeing Yukina's fear only served to enrage Kuwabara further, his desire to see her safe and far away from the hands of this monster fueled his determination.

"Let her go," he said firmly, doing his best to control his anger until Yukina was handed over to them, "Hiei is the one you want and here he is, you hold up your end of the deal and give her to us."

Kikou let out a wicked laugh and he cupped Yukina's chin in his hand.

"You see, my plans with Hiei are simply to defeat him and show Mokuro that I am the right choice to be at her side," he explained, 'I have no need for a sword and physical strength that can fail...my power comes from the power of imagination and emotion. I will tear you apart, Hiei, starting with letting you watch your sister destroy herself with fear."

He turned his horrible red eyes on Yukina and her face froze, taking on an expression of horror and she let out a loud scream, her eyes unfocused as she relived her own personal hell.

"Please, stop! Don't hurt them, please!" she cried, tears springing from her eyes and solidifying as they fell, landing with clinks on the floor.

Kuwabara knew exactly what she was seeing in her mind, her time with Tarukane and the deaths of her animal friends in the hands of Toguro. He couldn't take it anymore. He shoved Kurama's hand away and charged forward with an angry roar, raising his sword and bringing it down directly towards Kikou's neck…but his hit did not land, it glanced off of something that Kuwabara could not see and he stepped back with a shocked look. Kikou just grinned and pointed up and that was when Kuwabara saw a slight shimmer that was surrounding the monster and his beloved Yukina…an invisible energy shield.

"You're pathetic," Kuwabara snarled, and he smiled from the sheer madness of his rage, "You talk big and then hide behind your little barrier. Well I'm not going to be stopped by something so stupid!"

And with another angry roar he began swinging his sword down on the barrier, putting all of his strength behind the blows. Kikou just watched him with a wild glint in his eyes.

"Oh you foolish boy," he cackled, looking delighted, "I don't need to fight to defeat any of you, don't you see?"

And he gripped Yukina's chin tighter, causing her to shriek again as another painful vision filled her mind.

"You! How dare you hurt her!" Hiei ripped off his cloak and drew his sword, rushing forward. Kurama was right behind him and they took out the two guards outside the barrier with ease. Yusuke took aim at Kikou and let off a large blast from his Spirit Gun, but it did nothing more than glance off the barrier around Kikou and Yukina.

"Very brash and not very intelligent, young man," Kikou said with a nasty laugh, "You may have killed me if your energy made it through my barrier, but you would also have killed your precious Yukina."

"How are we supposed to get through that nut job's barrier, guys?" Yusuke asked as the four of them regrouped.

"His barrier seems to have gotten stonger during our attack," Kurama noted quietly, "We need to weaken him…I believe his barrier is feeding off of our emotions, mainly our anger."

Hiei grunted and flew at the barrier again, and stared in dismay as his sword splintered into tiny metal shards, scattering across the stone floor of the cave. He landed and tossed the hilt aside with a sniff of dismay and glared at the demon still clutching his sister's face.

"Here I am, Kikou, you don't need her anymore," he offered, changing his stance to a non-aggressive one, offering himself to his enemy, "I won't fight you, just let her go."

"You mean nothing to me now, Hiei," Kikou informed him, "My goal was to be at Mukuro's side, to share in her power…but now that I've seen this precious jewel that is your sister, she is my desire. I believe I will keep her."

And then Kikou turned his horrible face back to Yukina, his claw of a hand removing her gag…then he pulled her forward by her chin and smashed his lips to hers. Yukina's eyes were wide with disgust and shock and she let out a muffled scream against his horrid mouth.

Kuwabara stared in shock, unable to believe what was happening, unable to accept that he couldn't reach them to rescue Yukina from such a terrible fate. His Sacred Energy flared in his desperation and he charged forward again, slamming his sword down on the barrier. The cavern began to fill with light from his sword as his power increased more and more with each blow to the barrier, the force of his rage and the strength of his desire to rescue his love began to dent the barrier, but only slightly.

Yukina yanked her face away from Kikou's hand, her eyes blazing as she growled at him, her lips pulled into a twisted, feral snarl.

"You think I would _ever_ go willingly with you?" she snapped, "You're disgusting!"

She spat in Kikou's face and his red eyes closed slowly and he wiped his face, slowly and deliberately.

"Oh, Yukina…who said you had to be willing?" he said quietly, and then his eyes opened and his hand shot out, landing hard against Yukina's cheek so that she was jerked to the side, her head twisting to avoid the brunt of the blow. Then she raised her eyes again, her eyes filled with deadly anger.

Kuwabara let out a ferocious rage-filled howl and his swings at the barrier became even stronger, more aggressive.

Kurama stepped up between Hiei and Yusuke, a smirk on his face.

"Kikou isn't going to know what hit him in a moment," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked, wide-eyed.

"Just watch…" Kurama nodded at the barrier. It was cracking, spider web like fissures opening all along the surface.

"H…how!?" Kikou watched in horror as the barrier began to weaken, no matter his attempts to repair it and strengthen it, the cracks continued to form and grow. "How is he doing this? His rage…it should be making my barrier even stronger! I don't understand! Hate is the most powerful emotion of them all!"

"You're wrong," Yukina whispered, her eyes now filled with hope as she watched a particularly long crack form in the barrier, "Love. Love is the most powerful force in all three worlds. I have the love of Kazuma and my friends and my brother…and they have mine, and that is something you can't stop."

"The barrier is crumbling under the positive energy," Kurama said, readying his rose whip, "Our enemy seems to have underestimated his opponents. He can't stand against positive emotions."

Hiei cocked his lips into a half smile, his eyes narrowing as he took in the look of fear on Kikou's face.

"This is going to be enjoyable to watch," he said.

Kuwabara brought his sword down again in another powerful swing, his sword flashing with a wave of power, and the barrier shattered at last, splintering like glass but melting as the pieces hit the ground. The force of the blow sent the energy in an arc directly into Kikou's chest, throwing him back onto the ground, blood welling from the deep gash across his torso.

Hiei smirked and stepped up to the dying demon and pressed his foot down on his shoulder, causing Kikou's head to loll to the side, his fast glazing eyes fixed on Hiei with fear.

"My final wish…is for the deaths….of all of you…" he sputtered, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"We can't all get what we wish for," Hiei muttered grimly, watching in sick satisfaction as Kikou took his last breath and expired beneath his heel.

Kuwabara and Hiei exchanged nods, confirming that Kikou was dead, the battle won, and then Kuwabara kneeled down in front of Yukina and untied her from the post, pulling her into a tight hug and pressing kisses to the top of her head.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Yukina replied immediately, "Knowing you were coming for me kept me strong. I'm safe now, Kazuma…please, let's just go home."

"I agree with Yukina," Yusuke said loudly from the entrance to the cavern, "I am so damn tired of caves! Let's get out of this stupid place and back up to the surface! I'll contact Botan and let her know we're alright."

Kuwabara nodded in agreement and stood up, holding his hand out to help Yukina to her feet.

"Are you hurting anywhere?" he asked her when she winced slightly.

"Just sort of stiff from being locked in that tiny room," she informed him, "But I'm fine other than that. They really didn't hurt me."

"I can carry you if you want," Kuwabara offered gently. Yukina smiled and held her arms open and lifted her into his arms, bridal style. Before he could even begin walking, Yukina pressed her lips to his in a long awaited and much needed kiss. He was surprised, but he melted into the kiss despite the eyes of Hiei and Kurama watching them, Hiei in disgust and Kurama with a smile.

"Well? Good kiss?" Kuwabara asked when they separated.

"No one compares to your kisses, Kazuma," Yukina assured him, her eyes soft as she settled her arms around his neck.

They all followed after Yusuke into the tunnels, heading back towards the surface of Demon World. Yukina was silent for a long time.

"Kazuma," she whispered a while later, "You saved me, just like you promised. Thank you…for loving me so strongly."

"I will always protect you, Yukina," he replied sincerely, "I promise I will, no matter what I have to stand against."

"I know you will," Yukina replied with a smile, "I just want to let you know I'm thankful to my brave hero."

She looked around to make sure Hiei and Kurama were far enough away so they wouldn't hear her next comment, she leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"And I can think of many ways to show you just _how_ how thankful when we get home."

"God…woman…I love you!"

"I love you too, Kazuma."

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Kuwabara and Yukina's homecoming was a mix of Shizuru's relief at Yukina being safe and her wrath at Kazuma for letting her get kidnapped in the first place. The siblings fell into their regular routine of yelling at eachother and Shizuru beating Kazuma up so Yukina just shook her head with a smile and left them to sort it out and headed to the backyard.

The sky was full of stars, shining bright in the black, cloudless sky. She sighed, remembering the cramped feeling of the tiny room in that lightless cave. It had only been a day but it had felt like so much longer as she sat there in chains, waiting for Kazuma because she knew he would find her. Even if it felt like months, she had known she could endure as long as it took…as long as Kazuma was coming for her, she could survive anything. This she knew beyond all doubt.

A while later, Yukina heard the sliding door open up behind her and she turned to smile at Kazuma as he crossed the yard to stand beside her.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked quietly.

"I was thinking about my life," she replied honestly, "How lucky I am to know the people I do, to have a brother who loves me and friends who are loyal, and a boyfriend who will always be there to protect me. Everything I've been through, good and bad, has led me where I am now…and I wouldn't change a thing. I am stronger now."

"It showed today," Kazuma told her, "You were brilliant in the cave…I still can't believe you spit in his face!"

"I hated that he kissed me…" Yukina said unhappily, "I did my best to fight him off."

"I know you did, baby," Kazuma said with a nod, "It wasn't your fault."

Yukina turned then and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her forehead into his stomach.

"I love you more than ever, Kazuma. You make me feel safe and content…you're my hero."

She felt his chest puff out with pride and she knew he had a look of pure happiness on his face.

"I wanted to thank Hiei and the other but they left before I could," Yukina sighed.

"I think they already know, sweetie," Kazuma reassured her.

They stood there in the yard, wrapped in eachothers' arms for a long time, both remaining silent as they listened to the crickets chirping in the trees.

"Y…Yukina…" Kazuma's voice broke the silence at last, his voice filled with nervousness.

She looked up and he was looking down at her, starlight reflecting in his eyes as he scanned her face, looking incredibly thoughtful and hopeful.

"Is there something on your mind, Kazuma?"

"Let's get married, Yukina."

Yukina gasped loudly, her hand flew to her mouth. She had not been prepared for such a sudden and bold statement and she fell silent for a long time.

Kazuma dropped down to one knee and took a deep breath, looking at her with such seriousness that it made Yukina's heart squeeze with emotion.

"Yukina, you're so strong and so beautiful and smart and caring…there is no one I'd rather be with than you. I've always believed our love was destined, that it was fate, and everything we've been through lately has made me believe that even more sure of that. The red string of fate…it's real, I saw it, it led me to you! And…I know I don't deserve someone as wonderful as you but I can't be without you and I know that all I want is to make you as happy as you've made me. I promise to do my very best to make our lives together the best it can be…and I don't give a damn about life spans or species or anything anyone says against us…I just know I want to be with you for the rest of my life, no matter how long or short it may be. Please be by my side for the rest of my life, Yukina. Will you marry me?"

Yukina's eyes welled with tears, unique shaped tear gems that would probably have been worth millions spilled into the grass, forgotten and not even considered…the real treasure was the choice she had before her and she knew her answer already, she had for a long time.

"Kazuma, you deserve me…of course you do. You have always had me…and my answer is yes, Kazuma. Yes, a million times!"

Kazuma let out a loud cheer and grabbed her in his arms, spinning her in a wide circle as he stood up, she laughed excitedly at the weightless feeling as they twirled.

"YUKINA SAID YES!" Kazuma shouted at the top of his lungs, "WHO'S THE LUCKY ONE NOW!?"

Shizuru peaked out the upstairs window.

"You're going to wake up the whole neighborhood, Kazu! Congratulations, now shut up!"

Shizuru closed the window and stepped back from it, shaking her head and smiling gently as she watched Kazuma slip the ring on Yukina's finger, a ring made from the tear gem he'd saved from their night together at the beach.

"Way to go, little bro." She whispered quietly.

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 **TADA!**

 **Thank you all for sticking with this story and a huge, massive shoutout to kuwayukifan91 and all her help with this story and her input and encouragement and awesome ideas! Go check out the sequel to this story on her page and give her lots of great feedback like you all gave me**

 **It's been a pleasure writing this story, thank you! Peace out!**


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